This. First, the employer has to worry about the returns from which they draw some money to pay you. And for you to even get paid for doing a job, the company has to fear that you won't do it if you don't get paid - in most cases, it's not from the good of heart, but an implicit or explicit threat made by you or on your behalf by other people.

This is not necessarily true.

I work on a product, I see sales generated by my work. By me specializing in my role and sales specializing their role we both benefit. Is that outsourcing the the worries? I don’t know, but when we get a client email it’s both product and sales collaborating that resolves it.

There are also co-ops, worker owned companies, etc.

Not necessarily true. If you're employed by e.g. a contracting company or consulting firm, your value to your employer is in #hours_billable because you are their product.

And they, in turn, have outsourced the worries of the value they need you to create onto you!

Not really sure what your point is. The employer is worried about getting good return on their investment in me, I am worried about getting good return on the time I'm investing in the company.

So my interest is that they recognize that I provide value, and pay me accordingly. It's possible that they recognize my value but choose to underpay.

I want them to pay me as much as possible, they want to pay me as little as possible. We reach a compromise, and if a different company offers a better deal I take it. That's their incentive to pay me a competitive salary. Doesn't matter what I say or how well I play office politics, they are most likely going to try to get a bargain and I am most likely going to leave for a better deal because there's always someone willing to pay more.