The effects of robotization on the labor market and the proposal of a robot tax in terms of income loss

The field of robotics, which began and developed with the modern industrial revolutions, has been gaining increasing importance in recent years. The rising level of automation due to advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence has led to significant changes in various sectors such as production, education, and healthcare, as well as in the labor market. While some of these changes positively impact human life, others have negative effects, leading to problems that need to be addressed. One of the main issues is the replacement of human labor by robots, which not only increases unemployment but also reduces tax revenues for governments. This study aims to examine the "robot tax" proposal as a solution to these and similar problems arising from increased automation. In the first section, the emergence of automation and robotics is discussed, including the processes of industrial revolutions. Following this, the impact of robots on human life, the legal status of robots, and views on the effects of automation on the labor market are explained. In the final section, the robot tax proposal, presented as a solution to the view that automation reduces employment, is explained through a literature review. The purposes of implementing a robot tax, the challenges that may be encountered in its application, methods for implementing the tax, and potential uses for the revenue generated are discussed. The section concludes with brief information on the current status of robot tax implementation in some countries, followed by an examination of the situation in Turkey. The study concludes that the robot tax proposal is a globally discussed topic, but even in technologically advanced countries with high levels of automation, a comprehensive robot tax has not yet been fully implemented. Additionally, it is suggested that Turkey has significant potential for implementing a robot tax. In the conclusion and recommendations section, it is noted that while the immediate implementation of a robot tax may not yield positive results for a developing country like Turkey, a progressive tax that aligns with the principle of tax justice could produce positive outcomes in the long term.