30/12/2025
The Lamplighters of Modern Times: Technology and the Friction of Progress
The escalating conflict between app-based taxi services and independent three-wheel drivers brings several incidents to mind. I recall an experience from a few years ago; while waiting for a PickMe, the driver called and requested me to move toward the middle of the road. When I asked why, he explained that the drivers at the local "wheel park" (taxi stand) frequently harassed or even assaulted app-based drivers. Despite several police complaints, no lasting solution had been found.
Another observation is the behavior of Uber and PickMe drivers during peak morning and evening hours, particularly around Maradana and Fort. Many drivers switch off their apps during these times, making it nearly impossible to find a ride through the platform—to the point where walking to one’s destination becomes the faster option.
This conflict is not a modern anomaly; it is a recurring theme in history. Prior to 1920, London employed a vast number of lamplighters. Their duty was to light the city’s gas lamps at dusk and extinguish them at dawn. Records from 1823 indicate that nearly 40,000 gas lamps illuminated 213 miles of roads in England, maintained by approximately 800 workers. While specific statistics for 1920 are scarce, it is said this workforce had nearly doubled by then.
The disruption began in 1920 when the government started replacing gas lamps with electric ones. Electric lighting was far more efficient; it required no gas refills, no weekly cleaning, and no ladders to ignite. As the government transitioned exclusively to electricity, nearly half of the gas lamps were replaced by 1930. The crisis emerged because electric lamps did not require manual operation. Consequently, the profession of the lamplighter became obsolete. Many resisted, protesting the loss of their livelihoods and citing concerns over the "dangers" and "unreliability" of electricity. However, forward-thinking workers eventually transitioned into roles as electricians.
A similar transition occurred in India. When the Indian Railways began replacing coal-powered steam engines with diesel engines, nearly 100,000 coal workers were affected. By 1960, India operated one of the world's largest coal-based rail networks. The shift to diesel led to significant resistance, as the existing workforce lacked the technical expertise required for the new engines. In response, the Indian Railway Department introduced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), allowing workers to exit with compensation. Younger employees were retrained for diesel maintenance, while older workers who opted out of VRS were reassigned to supportive roles. Some historical accounts even suggest that in certain jurisdictions, coal workers were permitted to ride along in diesel engines until their retirement to ease the transition.
History is replete with such examples. Similar tensions arose during the introduction of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), and we see historical parallels with telephone operators in the USA, elevator operators in Japan, and coal miners in Germany. Even in Sri Lanka, we witnessed this friction when multi-purpose threshers (locally known as Agri-mate or Sunaami) replaced manual labor, and when computers replaced typewriters.
The current rise of taxi apps and their improved service quality is simply the latest chapter in this story. As the government digitizes, the demand for traditional clerical roles will diminish. Similarly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to displace many more traditional jobs. We have no choice but to adapt, seek new opportunities, and stay updated. As technology evolves, it inevitably renders existing roles obsolete while simultaneously creating new ones.
In economic theory, these phenomena are categorized under Development Economics. Specifically, this situation is described by the technical terms Structural Unemployment and Technological Displacement.
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