Final answer:
Women and immigrants, especially non-Europeans and minorities, have historically been denied opportunities in entrepreneurship and science, impacting economic growth and innovation. Examples like Lydia Villa-Komaroff's contributions to biotechnology show the potential of these underrepresented groups. Persistent discrimination, as seen in the African American experience, reveals that market forces alone cannot end inequality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group of people who were historically denied the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and scientists are primarily women and immigrants, particularly those coming from non-European backgrounds or minority populations. In early 20th century Australia, for instance, efforts were made to exclude non-Europeans from immigrating. During the 1930s in the United States, social welfare groups and humanitarians might not have considered groups like former Southern slaveholders or Chinese immigrants as "deserving poor". Furthermore, economies suffer when diverse populations face barriers to equitable participation in the labor market, as highlighted by the economic contributions lost when women and people of color were unwelcome in fields like science and technology. Notable advancements, such as those achieved by Mexican-American scientist Lydia Villa-Komaroff in biotechnology, underscore the tremendous potential of these groups. Indeed, the persistent discrimination of African Americans in the U.S. economy, from post-slavery era up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and beyond, demonstrates that market forces alone are insufficient to eliminate bias and inequality.