According to a study done by the Dutch government, file-share-sharing has a positive effect on the economy - not only in the short-term, but in the long-term as well.
The study yield a 142-page report that looks at both the economic and cultural effects that file-sharing has on the music, movie and gaming industry. The report estimates that the positive effect on the Dutch economy is around 100 million Euros a year. It also recognizes that the entertainment industry suffers some losses, but not enough to blanket the benefits.
The researchers noted:
File-sharing gives people access to a wide range of cultural goods and is often used to sample content that is bought later, the report concluded. Most file-sharers would have never bought the content they downloaded, but having access to such a large media library increases the welfare of Dutch citizens.