Hans Racke asked: What is the difference between shareholders and an owner?
The difference is that a sole proprietor has day-to-day decision making
power over the business, as well as legal title to it, whereas a
corporation's senior management is vested with the day-to-day decision
making power. The senior managers are employees appointed by the directors,
who are elected by the shareholders (but usually proposed to the
shareholders by management). Thus there is quite a gap between ownership
and control in the corporation, which does not exist in the sole
proprietorship.
I hope this clarifies or obfuscates the argument.