Banning the Use of Watermills: A Historical Perspective on Labor and Technology

In the long history of mankind, when there is an excess of manpower, people say, "Machines are taking away human jobs! and when there is a shortage of labor, on the other hand, people say, "Let the machines do it!" Around the first century A.D., the use of water mills was banned to prevent slaves and the poor from losing their jobs. On the other hand, in the 4th century, when the Roman Empire, which boasted an abundant labor force, ceased to expand, it became difficult to supply slaves and suffered from a shortage of labor, and the use of waterwheels was promoted to supplement the labor force.