We have entered a new era. Freelancing is changing how we work. In lieu of traditional full-time jobs with a single employer, more Americans are working independently. Instead of working 9-to-5, more are working project-to-project and gig-to-gig.
The economic implications of this more flexible workforce are significant. Workers can pursue more meaningful, independent lives. Businesses can access the exact right skills and people they need at the exact right time. A more nimble economy is potentially more innovative, more competitive, and better able to deal with the fluctuations of global markets.
But this is more than an economic change. It’s a cultural and social change on par with the Industrial Revolution. Just as the move from an agrarian to an industrial society had dramatic effects on all social structures around civil rights, workforce participation, and even democracy itself, so too will this shift to a more independent workforce have major impacts on how Americans conceive of and organise their lives, their communities, and their economic power.