Technical change is understood as the process of incorporating new technologies or technological practices ( standards of use, regulations, derivative products, etc.) into the human tools available to solve various types of social and economic problems. For example: the invention of the wheel, the invention of gunpowder.
It is a temporary, cumulative process that involves changes in the structure and content of knowledge production and, therefore, in the way we understand the world.
Technological change is usually the result of a series of technologically related activities, such as invention, innovation , development, transfer, and diffusion. Ultimately, these types of processes involve a shift in technological, social, cultural, and human paradigms.
This concept is particularly significant in economic matters , where it can imply an improvement or simply a radical change in existing production dynamics, given that these are closely related to the current state of available technology.
- It may be useful to you: Scientific revolutions
Why is technical change important?
In the complexity of human society , the impacts and developments in a diverse area such as the technical or technological one affect all the others, breaking down schemes and allowing new ways of carrying out an activity, whether productive (economic), social (collective) or even intimate (personal relationships).
Thus, if society functions as a network of meanings and activities , technical change propels some of its nodes forward and eventually impacts those to which it is directly connected. This, of course, does not mean that all technical change is positive or should be valued as a beneficial advance.
In fact, many bring with them new problems , unpredictable consequences, and the often painful need to adapt to new conditions. It should simply be understood as a contagious, powerful change that cannot operate in isolation within the community.
Examples of technical change
Throughout history, numerous events of technical or technological change have occurred, capable of revolutionizing social and human paradigms in profound and irreversible ways.
For example:
- The discovery of electricity. One of the most revolutionary inventions in history is the one that allowed the generation, understanding, and use of electricity as a force to shape the surrounding reality according to human needs . Many paradigms were shattered from the moment electrical energy entered our lives and could not only flow and be harnessed, but also be stored and recovered. All these concepts took on a new meaning with the advent of electric light, permanently changing humankind’s social dynamics.
- The invention of the wheel. A remote and ancient technical paradigm was shattered and re-established in the now distant moment when ancient man invented the first wheel. An entire civilization rests, among other things, on this invention, which facilitated transportation and enabled a whole series of future machine-based considerations (gears, rotating parts, etc.). The productive, social, and human considerations of the world changed as knowledge of the wheel spread.
- The Industrial Revolution and the emergence of the locomotive. The new transportation model brought about by the emergence of the steam train, later applied to ships and other forms of transportation, revolutionized the transportation paradigm in the West and around the world, allowing for much faster movement of personnel and goods over significant distances. Ultimately, it contributed to the invention of even faster forms of transportation and made the world much more accessible to the human mind.
- New communication technologies. The Internet has revolutionized virtually every aspect of society in profound and unpredictable ways, that much is known. Social networks, telecommunications programs, and the possibility of immediate data transfer have enabled the emergence of new forms of social organization, interpersonal relationships, and even a new notion of identity and belonging to human communities.
- The invention of gunpowder. The discovery of gunpowder and, above all, its widespread use in the manufacture of firearms was a technological innovation that had an enormous impact on world politics. By facilitating the arts of war and confrontation, it allowed for the emergence of new forms of imperialism and military domination, thus leading to other social and, eventually, world orders.
