Join help, please

I am confused. given this view:


AS
SELECT
    employee.id ,
    work_type.type ,
    permit ,
        work_type.overhead ,
       work_type.descrip  
from
    permitted_work
inner join employee on
    employee.employee_key = permitted_work.employee_key
inner join work_type on
    work_type.work_type_key = work_type.work_type_key
    ;

Why do I have 38475 rows, when the base table only has 855?

My thinking was that the inner joins would constrain this view to the rows
that exist in the base (permitted_work) table. 

Clearly I am misunderstanding something basic here.


-- 
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neither liberty nor safety."
                        -- Benjamin Franklin