What does capitalism mean?

Definitions for capitalism
ˈkæp ɪ tlˌɪz əmcap·i·tal·ism

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word capitalism.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. capitalism, capitalist economynoun

    an economic system based on private ownership of capital

GCIDE

  1. capitalismnoun

    An economic system based on predominantly private (individual or corporate) investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of goods and wealth; contrasted with socialism or especially communism, in which the state has the predominant role in the economy.

Wiktionary

  1. capitalismnoun

    a socio-economic system based on private property rights, including the private ownership of resources or capital, with economic decisions made largely through the operation of a market unregulated by the state.

  2. capitalismnoun

    a socio-economic system based on the abstraction of resources into the form of privately-owned capital, with economic decisions made largely through the operation of a market unregulated by the state.

  3. capitalismnoun

    a specific variation or implementation of either such socio-economic system.

  4. Etymology: From capitalisme. First used in English by novelist William Thackeray in 1854.

Wikipedia

  1. Capitalism

    Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private property, property rights recognition, voluntary exchange, and wage labor. In a market economy, decision-making and investments are determined by owners of wealth, property, or ability to maneuver capital or production ability in capital and financial markets—whereas prices and the distribution of goods and services are mainly determined by competition in goods and services markets.Economists, historians, political economists and sociologists have adopted different perspectives in their analyses of capitalism and have recognized various forms of it in practice. These include laissez-faire or free-market capitalism, anarcho-capitalism, state capitalism and welfare capitalism. Different forms of capitalism feature varying degrees of free markets, public ownership, obstacles to free competition and state-sanctioned social policies. The degree of competition in markets and the role of intervention and regulation as well as the scope of state ownership vary across different models of capitalism. The extent to which different markets are free and the rules defining private property are matters of politics and policy. Most of the existing capitalist economies are mixed economies that combine elements of free markets with state intervention and in some cases economic planning.Market economies have existed under many forms of government and in many different times, places and cultures. Modern capitalist societies developed in Western Europe in a process that led to the Industrial Revolution. Capitalist systems with varying degrees of direct government intervention have since become dominant in the Western world and continue to spread. Economic growth is a characteristic tendency of capitalist economies.

ChatGPT

  1. capitalism

    Capitalism is an economic system characterized by private ownership of means of production, goods and services; their operation for profit; and the competition in a free market. The system allows individuals, rather than the state or government, to make decisions about investment, production, and distribution based on supply and demand, with the intention of generating wealth. The accumulation of capital and wealth by private individuals or corporations is a key aspect of capitalism.

Wikidata

  1. Capitalism

    Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production, with the goal of making a profit. Central elements of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, and a price system. There are, however, multiple variants of capitalism, including laissez-faire, welfare capitalism, and state capitalism. Capitalism is considered to have been applied in a variety of historical cases, varying in time, geography, politics, and culture. There is general agreement that capitalism became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. Economists, political economists, and historians have taken different perspectives in their analysis of capitalism. Laissez-faire economists emphasize the degree to which government does not have control over markets and the importance of property rights. Others emphasize the need for government regulation, to prevent monopolies and to soften the effects of the boom and bust cycle. Most political economists emphasize private property as well, in addition to power relations, wage labor, class, and the uniqueness of capitalism as a historical formation. The extent to which different markets are free, as well as the rules defining private property, is a matter of politics and policy. Many states have what are termed mixed economies, referring to the varying degree of planned and market-driven elements in an economic system.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Capitalism

    A political and economic system characterized by individual rights, by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. (From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed)

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'capitalism' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4527

  2. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'capitalism' in Nouns Frequency: #1887

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of capitalism in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of capitalism in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of capitalism in a Sentence

  1. Temir Porras:

    There has to be a serene debate on economic strategy, the main problem is a lack of pragmatism in addressing the crisis itself, instead of trying to explain it with some political theory ... You can oppose capitalism but you cannot ignore that it exists.

  2. Bernie Sanders:

    I can't think of a way that would make it easier for Donald Trump , wow to get reelected than listening to this conversation. It's ridiculous. Bernie Sanders're not going throw out capitalism. Bernie Sanders tried that. Other countries tried that. It was called communism. It just didn't work.

  3. John Kenneth Galbraith:

    Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.

  4. Joseph Schumpeter:

    Capitalism inevitably and by virtue of the very logic of its civilization creates, educates and subsidizes a vested interest in social unrest.

  5. Bill Gross:

    They should, but their September meeting language must be so careful, that 'one and done' represents an increasing possibility – at least for the next six months, the Fed is beginning to recognize that 6 years of zero bound interest rates have negative influences on the real economy – it destroys historical business models essential to capitalism such as pension funds, insurance companies, and the willingness to save money itself. If savings wither then so too does its Siamese Twin – investment – and with it, long-term productivity, the decline of which we have seen not just in the U.S. but worldwide.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

capitalism#10000#12271#100000

Translations for capitalism

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"capitalism." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Oct. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/capitalism>.

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