"So a factory (or anything else) for that matter can (must?) not be owned by more than one person? Is there no such thing as a 50% ownership in a hot-dog stand or 0.0000003% ownership in IBM or a factory? "
Don’t be silly. That’s making the assumption that part ownership in a business is equivalent to ownership of the physical properties thereof. You can own a 20% stake in Fatface Hot Dogs, but that does not mean you own A) the hot dog stand, B) the ingredients, C) the cooking implements, D) any real, tangible piece of the property. And those situations in which you have two equal shareholders are always mitigated by lengthy contractual stipulations, in order to ensure both parties are satisfied beforehand with the terms of how disputes are to be settled. Where is such a method of dispute settlement when you have one hundred people each with a one percent ownership that somehow, inexplicably equates to “everyone owns everything”? And, quite frankly, do you want to be the lawyer drawing up that contract? The majority shareholder concept is very important in making sure things can actually be put to use. I do not say, nor do I suggest, that a business cannot have more than one owner. What I suggest is that someone has to be able to make decisions, bottom line, with what to do with the resources.