[mch82]

I think the risk of the scenario you describe is low, but it could happen and it has in the past.

Other reasons also come to mind. When someone is out of work tax revenues decrease and a variety of social costs can increase. Infrastructure costs and welfare expenditures are immediately impacted. The unemployed person is still using public roads & services, but no longer paying taxes to fund them. If the displaced employee gets hurt, then emergency services costs increase. If they turn to crime, court and jail costs go up. And that’s a cursory list of impacts. So there are many ways society pays a price for automation.