Why did Robert Owen think competition between human labor and machinery caused distress?

Robert Owen, a prominent British social reformer, argued that the competition between human labor and machinery was a permanent cause of distress for the working class.1

He believed that because machinery was not subordinated to the needs of the people, it functioned in opposition to human workers rather than for their benefit. To address this, Owen proposed that the only effective remedy was to move toward united action and the collective organization of society. He advocated for the establishment of self-contained, cooperative communities where machinery would be utilized to serve the common interest, ensuring that work and the enjoyment of its results were shared collectively. This philosophy eventually helped lay the groundwork for the cooperative movement and influenced the development of socialism.12