I'm not 100% sure where investors fit in, but my current hypothesis is that "pure" investors (i.e. people who supply only money) are like armed forces: they do

I'm not 100% sure where investors fit in, but my current hypothesis is that "pure" investors (i.e. people who supply only money) are like armed forces: they do not themselves create wealth, though they can sometimes create an environment in which it's easier for other people to.