Faithful servants replaced by knowledge workers

In any government, communication is one of the most important tools. In the earlier British Civil Service, letter writer's emotions were clear when we read the line above the signature. For example, when bureaucrats wrote letters to the public, they would end their letter with 'I beg to remain, or Sir, or your most humble and obedient servant.'

Thus civil servants who play a vital role in running the government affairs effectively are constantly reminded that they were servants of the people and their job was to serve the people, their masters.

This system that was followed by most of the English speaking countries is being changed now. It is now either 'Yours truly or Sincerely yours.'

In his book "The Post-Capitalist Society" Peter Drucker describes how every few hundred years a sharp transformation takes place and greatly affects society - its worldview, its basic values, its business and economics, and its social and political structure.

According to Drucker, we are right in the middle of another time of radical change, from the Age of Capitalism and the Nation-State to a Knowledge Society and a Society of Organizations.

Over the last several decades, clerical jobs, in most developed countries are vanishing since their tasks are either becoming automated or can be performed by less-expensive workers somewhere else.

Since the 1990s, the blue-collar works and their unions are facing irreversible retreat, their jobs taken over by technologists and technicians.

Some of the traditional employees liable to be transferred across departments, divisions and locations across organisational hierarchy now have the opportunity to work as consultants. A consultant normally offering professional services and is not bound by the rules of the organisation concerning rules of employment.

In most of the developed countries, the knowledge workers have become the single largest group in the population and workforce.

Education is the centre of the knowledge society and schooling has become the key institutions.

Drucker says that a strong intellectual curiosity is necessary to stay ahead in a continuous learning environment. The knowledge society demands far more competition than any other society of the past and we are redefining what is it to be an 'educated person.'

Adam Smith's factors of production- land, labour, and capital have not disappeared but they have now become secondary. They can easily be obtained, provided there is specialized knowledge. This is where the knowledge workers are coming in droves.

A knowledge society is a society of mobility. People no longer stay where they were born, in terms of geography. This mobility means people no longer have "roots."

Thus our societies are facing new challenges. We need more thinking citizens to ask searching questions to solve our problems.

The emergence of the society of organisations of the knowledge economy is also challenging the function of the government. All social tasks in the society of organisations are being done individual organisations, each created for one social task such as education or health care.

Therefore, the society of these organisations are only concerned with its particular purpose and mission.

This is a social transformation that will bring new opportunities through political turmoil and unexpected problems.

Going by Drucker's assessment , we are in the midst of a colossal transformation- one that may drive 'your obedient servants' into extinction.