Today, in the hot-off-the-WordPress new edition of Cato Unbound, Richard Florida writes about “The Future of the American Workforce in the Global Creative Economy.”

Bestselling author of Rise of the Creative Class, Florida argues that the old industrial era has given way to a new creative era. Science and technology, art and design, and culture and entertainment have superceded natural resources and industrial infrastructure as the key to economic success. Talent is now the key factor of production and winners in global economic competition will be those who can best deploy and attract it. However, the creative economy is a source of increasing inequality both within and between nations. Florida argues that the key to bridging the gap between the creative and service sectors is to harness the creativity of service sector workers to make their jobs both higher-paying and more satisfying.

Florida’s essay is just the beginning of what promises to be an eye-opening conversation about “The Future of Work.” Big-thinkers Robin Hanson, Ed Leamer, and Frank Levy will reply in the days to come. As always, bloggers are encouraged to join the fray and respond to Cato Unbound essayists on their home turf; we’ll excerpt and reprint some of the best of the blogosphere.