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Business owners didn’t build their business on their own

The idea that business owners built their businesses on their own is a myth.

The idea that business owners built their businesses on their own is a myth.

Textile manufacturers, for example, didn’t harvest the cotton, or the flax, or the wool that went into the fabric they cut and sewed into their clothes.

Home builders didn’t harvest the trees or mill them into the lumber they used to frame their houses.

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Car manufacturers didn’t mine or smelt the ore that goes into the steel they use to build their cars.

Rail companies didn’t mine the coal or refine the diesel that fuelled their locomotives.

Media production companies didn’t build the cameras, or the computers, or the microphones they used to capture the audio and video of their products.

Every company relies on the products of other companies to be successful, whether that’s raw material, processed material, or finished equipment.

And that says nothing of the fact that these same companies require employees educated by a government funded education system, transportation networks built by government funds, and utility infrastructure provided by governments. Nor does that include the labour of the workers who produce the products and services the company owner sells to customers.

It’s a myth that business owners build their wealth all on their own.

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By Kim Siever

Kim Siever is an independent queer journalist based in Lethbridge, Alberta. He writes daily news articles, focusing on politics and labour.

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