[aww_dang]

The profit incentive remains. The ends to which they apply those profits are up to the individual entrepreneurs. There's nothing wrong in my view with worker owned businesses, as long as it is a voluntary arrangement. From where I stand these businesses are entirely valid options which can exist in a free market. Where you paint them as as in conflict with the profit incentive or a 'civic religion of greed', you branch off into pure hyperbole.

[wpietri]

It's far from hyperbole. Wealth accumulation is a motivation for some. But it's just not central to a great deal of entrepreneurship and innovation. I know one guy who started a billion-dollar company, and his take on profit was entirely utilitarian: "Profit is permission to continue", meaning that it's just an indicator that the business is self-sustaining.

[aww_dang]

This is just subjective value, again. He wants permission to continue, thus he wants profits. From there we can conclude that there is a profit motive.