ABSTRACT
Relational sociology discloses the fact that every human being is relationally constituted as a person. The same holds true for any social institution. Modernity has tried to immunise human individuals against social relations, and continues to do so. For most people the sharing economy is about using a collaborative internet platform, which gives producers access to potential users, and consumers easier ways to reach goods and services, utilising tools that enable transactions to take place. The effect of collaborative platforms has been to give existing freelancers and small businesses access to new marketplaces. A reporting for the European Union (EU) has indicated the very divergent usage of online collaborative work platforms, according to demography, nationality and frequency of access. The EU-wide survey data indicates that about one-third of all visitors to collaborative platforms have also provided services on them. In that sense, there is strong evidence that such online tools are, genuinely, facilitating a sharing economy.
