Actually most Americans are entrepreneurs but have been beaten into submission by a crushing load or regulation and taxation. This is compounded by the fact that we face unfair competition from corporate cronies who are often propped up by our tax dollars.
I’d say you are exactly right. In fact there must have been a time when ALL were entrepeneurs! Of course it depends on definition but to me it means taking the initiative to find a way to support yourself without needing someone else to agree to employ you so if you lived alone in the world you would either take that initiative or die. By that definition any squirrel who goes out and finds himself a nut tree is an entrepeneur. Every cave dwelling family that ever hunted and gathered were entrepeneurs. Which came first the entrepeneur or the employee? It had to be the entrepeneur, no question about it. It seems to my simple mind that entrepeneurship is the NATURAL state of man and we have been duped into believing otherwise.
I can't tell how many times I have contemplated to strike out on my own to use my skills and abilities to start my own business...to get the hell out of the corp culture..
The thought of going broke and starving to death trying to do so is not appealing exactly for the reason you stated...