Considering that the ground is a a real and connected to earth ground, if the electrons have a low resistance path to it from the negative pole, why would the circuity still work? Maybe you could consider that the source of the voltage is a low electron density on the positive side or something similar, but just for theoretic purposes, if the source is a high density on the negative side, it wouldn't. Or i'm overlooking something?
It is not about density as such. It is about potential or electric field.
There is an electric field which applies a force on the electrons from the negative pole to the positive. When connected to ground, at steady state there is no field forcing the electrons from the negative towards the ground.
Alternately, to use the potential analogy, electrons at the negative pole are sitting on a surface which level with ground. Electrons would have a tendency to roll towards the positive pole which is below the level or the negative pole and the ground. (positive pole is below the level of negative pole since electrons have negative charge). They won't have a tendency to roll from the negative pole to the ground which is at the same level.
