IMO, they are.. by several orders of magnitude.
Business owners are a wonderful thing. They provide an opportunity for people to buy houses, feed their families, go on trips, etc, etc, etc.. PLUS, they pay taxes to finance projects, etc, on and on.. There's no need to drive this into the ground. Of course you realize this.
They are much more important in the big scheme of things.
The reason they are more important is simple: They can't get rich on their own. They have to have help and then many people prosper, to varying degrees, right along with them.
That means opportunity and I think that's a good deal for everyone involved.
When they aren't providing these opprotunities however, then they lose my sympathy. Because the only reason I should care about Bill Gates being wealthy is because he is providing jobs & helping people.
Likewise, the only reason Gates should care about me is because I might have skills that can help him become richer.
It's completely fair and it's mutually beneficial, provided both sides bring something to the table.
Free traders want the impossible - they want society to nourish and protect them without giving anything in return.