capitalism

American  

[kap-i-tl-iz-uhm] / ˈkæp ɪ tlˌɪz əm /

noun

1. an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

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capitalism British  

/ ˈkæpɪtəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. Also called: free enterprise.   private enterprise.  an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, characterized by the freedom of capitalists to operate or manage their property for profit in competitive conditions Compare socialism

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capitalism Cultural  

1. An economic and political system characterized by a free market for goods and services and private control of production and consumption. (Compare socialism and communism.)

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Pop Culture

— The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Socialism and Capitalism: A treatise on economics and political science by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1928. — The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures: 2009 play by Tony Kushner. The play's title was inspired by Shaw's book and Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. — Capitalism: A Love Story: 2009 documentary film written and directed by, and starring, Michael Moore. —Monopoly, the classic capitalism board game, from Hasbro. (“The success of Monopoly mirrors the success of capitalism,” noted Philip E. Orbanes, in his 2006 book, Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game. )

Other Word Forms

• anticapitalism noun
• procapitalism noun

Etymology

Origin of capitalism

First recorded in 1850–55; capital ¹ + -ism

Compare meaning

How does capitalism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mercantilism vs. capitalism
• fascism vs. capitalism
• market economy vs. capitalism
• free enterprise vs. capitalism

Example Sentences

“He loved his country, he loved capitalism, and he loved his family,” said David Bristow, his friend and former lawyer, now a U.S. magistrate judge in California.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There’s a funny moment when you realize that as an activist: The off-ramp out of extreme poverty is, ugh, commerce, it’s entrepreneurial capitalism.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“They tried many economic theories, they tried capitalism, they tried socialism, but they didn’t try one thing,” Mr. Smotrich told Mishpacha, a religious magazine.

From New York Times

She was, she writes, “grieving under capitalism” for the years with her father that were lost because he could not afford basic health care.

From New York Times

“What I’m striving to be every day is free” of the strictures of society, capitalism and social media, she explains.

From Washington Post