We often hear that business owners and investors “take the risk”, so they “deserve the rewards”.
But what are these people really risking, compared with their workers?
A full time job takes up more than 50% of a person's waking hours — half their conscious life. A worker commits nearly the entirety of their productive output to the growth of a business that they (typically) have no stake in.
What's hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars next to that? A triviality.
The risks an employee takes in choosing one job over another can literally make or break their life: their health, their sanity and their future are all on the table. This goes double for parents and others with dependents.
Yes, owners and investors deserve more, but only to an extent. Putting up capital is not an excuse for any and all capitalist depredations.
We must acknowledge the risks taken by all full-time employees.