The rapid emergence and expansion of the "sharing economy," exemplified by platforms like Uber and Airbnb, have sparked intense debate regarding its fundamental nature and societal implications. While often lauded for its efficiency, innovation, and community-building potential, a growing critical perspective argues that these platforms represent a new, intensified form of capital accumulation. This article undertakes a critical political-economic analysis of the capital-extractive sharing economy, positioning it as a contemporary manifestation of primitive accumulation. Drawing upon Marxist theory and contemporary critiques, this study examines how these platforms dispossess traditional labor, create new precarious labor forces (the "precariat"), and enclose previously non-commodified assets, thereby facilitating novel avenues for capital extraction. By synthesizing evidence from labor disputes, regulatory challenges, and theoretical discussions, this analysis aims to illuminate the underlying mechanisms of wealth concentration and power dynamics inherent in the platform-mediated sharing economy, challenging its utopian narratives and advocating for a more nuanced understanding of its socio-economic impact.

Sharing Economy, Primitive Accumulation, Capital Extraction

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