Sharing Economy and Its Role in the Production of Public Wealth

The article discusses the specific nature of public good and its general benefit in optimal volumes; the reasons for the need to produce a public product by the state; the role of the private sector in creating a public product and enhancing this role because of the development of digital technology. The article also discusses the main reasons, trends and prospects for the development of a modern model of collaborative consumption; defines the popular term “sharing economy” and provides some historical aspects of the origins of the modern concept of collaborative consumption; assesses the value of the sharing economy in the production of modern public goods; reveals the expectations associated with collaborative consumption and analyzes criticism of the sharing economy; conclusions about the ability of information and communication technologies to promote the production of useful (rational, profitable) public goods for consumers in the private sector and it is recommended that the scientific community and government officials pay attention to this process. Keywords: public goods, collaborative consumption, sharing economy, carsharing, carpooling, uberisation JEL Codes: H40, H41, H44