This subject is like jumping out of an airplane. If you’re not afraid then maybe you haven’t sufficiently considered the scope, risk, and potential consequences.
The question: If master data is important then how much business importance should you assign to the master data used to create master data?
“Foundation” is an unsatisfying metaphor. Master data used to create master data — I’ll call this Reference Master Data — is more like a super-structure upon which master data is created.