The History of the Sharing Economy: From Ancient Civilisations and Bartering to Sharehub

The concept of a sharing economy is not a modern invention. In fact its roots trace back to the very beginning of recorded human civilisation. At its core, the sharing economy has always been about people coming together to share resources, whether goods, services, or time. However, the way we share has evolved significantly over time. In this blog ill take you on a summarised a journey through the history of the sharing economy, from its origins in the original bartering system to the rise of modern resource sharing platforms like Airbnb, Uber, Upwork and Sharehub.

Bartering: The Origins of Sharing

Before money existed, bartering was the foundation of trade. People exchanged goods and services directly—no currency was involved. A farmer might trade a sack of grain for a basket of fish, or a tailor could exchange clothes for tools, or a person could provide labor in exchange for something they need. 

The first written record of bartering and sharing goods in history dates back to the ancient Sumerian civilisation in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), around 3000 BCE. The Sumerians are often credited with developing one of the earliest forms of written language, known as cuneiform, and their records show evidence of trade and bartering. They used clay tablets to document transactions, particularly for goods such as grain, livestock, and tools. Its highly likeley the act of bartering is a lot older, however no written records exist today.

As societies grew, these early forms of bartering became more complex. People began trading in more structured ways, leading to the development of marketplaces and more formalised methods of exchange. Eventually, these systems gave rise to money as a universally accepted medium of exchange, but the concept of bartering remained a part of everyday life, particularly in smaller or more localised communities.

The Code of Hammurabi (around 1754 BCE) is another important historical reference that mentions goods exchange and bartering practices, reinforcing the idea that this form of trade was a well-established practice by then.

Bartering was the first form of resource-sharing, but as societies grew and expanded, the original process became impractical. People needed a more efficient way to exchange goods beyond their immediate community. That’s when money emerged as a universal medium of exchange. Money gave birth to more complex trade and the "Market economy", but the underlying principle of sharing resources within communities remained.

The Rise of Money and the Shift to Market Economies

While money replaced bartering as the primary system for exchanging goods and services, the basic human desire to share resources within their community was never eradicated. The sharing of goods and services continued in the background, as people came together in neighbourhoods and communities to help one another.

For a time, the principles of a sharing economy and bartering were overshadowed and almost captured by the rise of market capitalism and big businesses, which encouraged mass consumption and the purchasing of goods as a way to drive profits for large corporations (through "mass marketing" which has only accelerated since then). This shift led to the prioritisation of ownership of things over access to things, contributing to unsustainable consumerism. However, over the past 15 years or so, we are now returning to the core values of a sharing community, where sustainability, collaboration, and the efficient use of resources are once again making a comeback, fostering a sense of community and cooperation, shifting power and profit from big corporations back to the hands of the individuals.

The Digital Age: The Birth of Peer-to-Peer Platforms

The real transition back to a sharing economy began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as the internet and digital platforms revolutionised the way people interacted. In the early days of e-commerce, websites like eBay allowed individuals to buy and sell used goods, creating a global marketplace. These early platforms set the stage for the rise of peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms, where people could not only sell but also share goods and services.

The true explosion of the sharing economy began with P2P platforms like Uber and Airbnb. In 2008, Airbnb started as a simple idea to let people rent out extra rooms in their homes. It quickly grew into a global platform where individuals could book short-term stays in homes, apartments, and even unique spaces like treehouses, submarines and castles. The success of Airbnb helped demonstrate the potential for house rentals to become a major part of the sharing economy.

Uber, founded in 2009, was the next big disruptor, allowing people to share car rides instead of owning a vehicle. This ride-sharing model transformed the transport industry by allowing people to rent their car seats to strangers, providing an alternative to traditional taxis, sharing the financial benefits to everyday people looking for a sidehustle. These companies were early examples of how digital platforms could help people share resources on a large scale.

The Shift from Room Rentals to “Everything” Rentals

The success of Airbnb and Uber proved that the sharing economy could work beyond just housing and transportation. P2P sharing expanded into nearly every area of life. Platforms for renting clothes, tools, sports equipment, baby items, and even office spaces began to appear. These platforms facilitated access to products and services that people only used occasionally or didn’t want to own long-term, however the digital platforms that enabled these exchanges were typically limited to one silo of goods (such as accomodation, clothing or baby equipment).

Sharehub recently combined the best of everything that has come before, demonstrating how the concept of renting and sharing can be applied to almost anything. Sharehub enables people to rent tools, machinery, household items, garden items, party supplies, and even baby gear without the need to buy them. This not only helps individuals avoid the waste and expense of purchasing products they only use occasionally but also allows people to earn income by renting out their underused items to others, creating a win/win scenario for the owner and the user.

The "rent anything" model continues to gain traction, as platforms like Sharehub in NZ are helping to create a new world of resource-sharing that is both environmentally beneficial, community focussed and economically beneficial to individuals at a grass roots level. These platforms now play a key part of a larger circular economy, where the focus shifts from ownership of material items to accessing items as they are needed, encouraging the reuse of items and reducing unnecessary waste.

Encouraging Sustainable Practices and Reducing Waste

Two of the driving forces behind the success of the sharing economy today are the growing concern about our environment, and financial hardships facing everyday kiwis. Through renting and sharing their belongings, people reduce the demand for new products (resulting in less natural resources being extracted frm the earth), minimise packaging waste (that fills up our landfills and pollutes our waterways and whenua), and lower their environmental footprint, all while making a buck and helping others in their community.

For example, Sharehub encourages the rental of clothing, reducing the amount of textiles being produced in the first place (the textile industry is one of the worst polluters on earth), and then reducing space in your closet, and reducing waste that goes to landfill by expanding the userbase of individual garments. It also reduces waste at private and corporate events by promoting the rental of party supplies and catering equipment instead of buying new items that may only be used once. This model may impact the companies manufacturing these items in the short term, however the net benefit to the environment, our commuity and individual finances far outway the temporary disruption to the big corporations producing these items. It essentially gives us time for pause to consider the direction we want society to head.

Moreover, by enabling people to share and gift large items like furniture, gardening equipment or bicycles, Sharehub directly counters the need for these items to go to inorganic waste collections, giving them a second life through community sharing. As the old saying goes, "One mans trash is another mans treasure". This is just one of many ways the modern sharing economy aligns with global goals for reducing waste, conserving resources and improving peoples finances. 

Looking Ahead: The Future of the Sharing Economy

The sharing economy has evolved from its roots in an ancient bartering system to become a cornerstone of modern economic and environmental sustainability. As technology continues to advance, more industries are likely to be disrupted by peer-to-peer platforms that allow people to share, gift for free, rent, or access goods and services rather than owning them. Im hopeful that the future is bright for our community, and platforms like Sharehub will continue to play a crucial role in reducing waste, maximising resource use, and empowering interconnected communities.