While at one time, the possibility of liquidating a corporation or holding stocks for their dividends was what drove share prices - and numbers of shares were rather small - and at that time, the value of companies was reflected in their stocks - now, stocks are liquid instruments of institutionalized gambling. It reflects real-world value about as well as the value of World of Warcraft gold pieces. If everyone got out of the market, it wouldn't merely collapse, it would dissolve, and we would find out who really ran the show at the individual companies - who could set their own salary, for instance.