Raw Deal summary
Book Summary & Synopsis
What's it about?
Raw Deal examines how the sharing economy, represented by platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, and TaskRabbit, can replace secure employment and established protections with unstable contracting, weak regulation, and worker exploitation. The book argues that declining wages and job insecurity can weaken consumer demand and threaten the broader U.S. economy.
Who is it for?
- Readers interested in the social and economic consequences of the sharing economy and platform-based work.
- Anyone who wants to understand how labor protections, wages, job security, and public policy can shape economic stability.
Meet the author
Steven Hill presents a critical examination of the sharing economy and argues for stronger protections and a new social contract between workers, businesses, and society.
From the Introduction & First Chapter
Introduction
Raw Deal by Steven Hill. The sharing economy promises freedom but delivers exploitation, threatening the U. S. economy.
Are you truly benefiting from the convenience of the sharing economy, or is it a raw deal for workers? Our smartphones connect us, making everyday tasks easier than ever before. Booking a room or finding a ride is just a few taps away. Companies like Airbnb and Uber thrive in this new landscape.
They act as intermediaries, connecting buyers directly with sellers. This sounds like an ideal, egalitarian system, but it is not. There is a dangerous side effect to this economy. It could bring down the entire U.
S. economy if left unchecked. These chapters reveal why the economy faces oblivion. They also show how we can hope to fix it before it is too late.
the sharing economy promises freedom but does not deliver
The sharing economy promises freedom but does not deliver. You may not realize it, but you are part of a new economy. It is known as the peer-to-peer, or sharing, economy.
While it sounds like an exciting development, questions arise. How good is this business model for society? Supporters call it revolutionary and a path to greater freedom. They believe it creates a kinder, gentler capitalism.
It removes the middleman and cuts through red tape. Let us look closer at Airbnb. It started as a venture to disrupt the market. It offered an alternative to overpriced hotels.
It received praise from across the political spectrum. Liberals saw it as self-sufficiency and sustainability. Conservatives supported its decentralized model. But as we see now, neither is true.
The benefits are mixed at best. What is left is raw capitalism and impersonal transactions. Airbnb began with people sharing spare rooms for extra money. But the company's greed has since undermined that concept.
Airbnb is now flooded with professional renters. Landlords evict tenants because they can make more money through short-term rentals. Airbnb is aware of this, but obscures the fact. It presents a wholesome image of sharing while disregarding laws designed to protect tenants.
Many cities prohibit rentals for less than 30 days. This is meant to give tenants some security. But Airbnb dodges these regulations by positioning itself as a booking agent. It claims it cannot be held responsible for how anyone might use its services illegally.
Airbnb has also avoided paying hotel taxes. But there are many more serious problems ahead.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction 0:58
- 2 the sharing economy promises freedom but does not deliver 1:56
- 3 companies defy rules and put clients and workers at risk 1:58
- 4 businesses save money by firing employees and hiring unprotected contractors 2:22
- 5 workers fight for scraps and resort to illegal labor 2:10
- 6 deregulation may threaten blue collar jobs more immediately than automation 1:58
- 7 declining wages and job insecurity threaten the U S economy 1:55
- 8 we need a new social contract protecting workers and businesses 3:55
