When the sharing economy becomes neoliberalism on steroids: Unravelling the controversies

Morozov (2013a) in an op-ed published in The Financial Times stated: “the sharing economy [SE] amplifies the worst excesses of the dominant economic model: it is neoliberalism on steroids”. The above statement does not seem so far-fetched based on the different academic discussions collected. Some recent attempts have been made to problematise the assumptions made under the banner of the SE. The findings reveal the extent of the terminological confusion that surrounds the SE and the need for a more elaborate discussion that enables practitioners, regulatory bodies, and academics to shed some light on the social impacts of the SE. In this paper we identify the debate that has resulted from the collision between what we term 'the SE manifesto', the SE's promise of social progress, and platform capitalist practices operating under the banner of the SE. The framework developed in this paper enables us to analyse the assumptions made by the initial promoters of the SE on its impact on markets, governments, workers, consumers, and the environment and set a research agenda that can help academics and governments engage in a more nuanced discussion on the disruption created by the SE.