"If the majority of people did just 'dabble' in it then fair enough but they weren't the ones making the songs..."

Anyone spot the goalposts just moving? I thought we were talking about passing songs on - i.e. what 'tradition' consists of - not arguing over compositional credits.

"fantasing over collectivism as oppose to the creativity of working class musical masters. Seeing the songs as a product of a 'process' rather than the same sort of genius that we find in all music"

Look at the scope and range of the melodic and rhythmic variants to some well-known folk songs. The result of many individual interventions? Yes. Genius, every one? Stretching it. But all part of a process (not a 'process'), undoubtedly.

["That's what folk music is when it comes down to it - music for everyone."]
"That's what ALL music is."

No, most music is performed by 'musicians'.