[guylhem]

It is that simple : if I really trust my idea to be so good, why waste my time with a system that will at best not fight against my idea, and will not let me reap the full benefits of it? If I success, I'd rather keep everything (or most of it!) for myself!

There is a very small subset of problems, where, needing some very specific resources for my project, it is more logical to seek them from within an existing corporation, ie joining it, than from myself or the market.

I could live with the idea of japanese-style corporation, where loyalty goes both ways. It would be logical then to accept the idea of sharing in a system where others will share with you. Unless you have some serious deadweight, sharing would reduce the variance of your profits, but not the mean.

But if employees are resources to be used and discarded, companies are likewise resources to be used and discarded.

Basically, if the social contract is uphold, it is logical to share with others, knowing they will too share with you.

For a game theory analogy, when one breaks one's word, cooperation is no longer the best strategy, but defection.

The rise of entrepreneurship may have some link with the end of the traditional corporation, where one had a job until retirement, put a real effort in it, and was appropriately compensated.

[hkmurakami]

>I could live with the idea of japanese-style corporation, where loyalty goes both ways. It would be logical then to accept the idea of sharing in a system where others will share with you.

IMO there are very few companies even in Japan who are truly like this anymore.

[guylhem]

A social contract is a good thing, but I don't need a corporation. I can make a free choice.

Yet even if I like the concept of workers being compensated at their marginal productivity, it's a sad thing this choice will no longer exist for most of the people who are now graduating, and that entrepreneurship becomes a choice by default.

Diversity (as in having many choices - to work for a big company or for yourself) usually is a good thing.

Of course, you may still work for a big company, but if you know you are to be poorly treated anyway, while bother doing more than the bare minimum? If you have a good idea, why bother sharing its profits?