Reply #115: A person investing his/her money to start a business ...

[Martin Eden]

... would then be required to give all the hired employees "proportional equity shares"?

The investor's money was their own until they invested it in a business, which would then become a democratically-owned entity?

Who makes the key business decisions ... does it come to a vote? Is it assumed that all the shareholders are equally qualified to make those decisions?

I'm trying to get a handle on how this is supposed to work in the real world. I've worked for the same company for 17 years, starting out as a temp and holding hourly wage positions for 11 years. Now I'm in management and report to a Senior Vice President. I have a wide range of experience throughout the ranks. I am 100% in favor of profit sharing and better wages & benefits for all employees, but I can tell you that most of the hourly wage earners should not be making important business decisions. Businesses are heirarchichal organizations for a good reason, and where I work promotions are very much a meritocracy. We are a successful company that has grown considerably during my time there.

You say there would still be a marketplace and competition, but I have sincere doubts the model you describe would be competetive against differently-structured organizations.