capitalismos

Capitalismos is the term used in some languages to describe capitalism, the economic system characterized by private ownership of the means of production, voluntary exchange in markets, competition, and the pursuit of profit. In capitalistic economies, production decisions are largely guided by price signals and profit opportunities rather than centralized planning.

Core features include private property rights, capital accumulation, wage labor, and decentralized decision making; markets allocate resources through supply and demand; financial markets channel savings into investment; entrepreneurship drives innovation and differentiation of goods and services.

Historical development traces capitalism to late medieval and early modern Europe, with growth through the Commercial Revolution and a rapid expansion during the Industrial Revolution. Its globalization accelerated in the 19th and 20th centuries, producing diverse national models shaped by institutions, governance, and policy choices.

Variants commonly discussed include liberal or laissez-faire capitalism (limited state intervention); welfare capitalism or social market economies (social protections and regulation to address social costs); state capitalism (significant state ownership or direction); and hybrid or democratic capitalist models that mix market mechanisms with public policy and institutions.

Critiques often focus on inequality, market volatility, externalities, and perceived short-termism, while supporters emphasize efficiency, innovation, consumer choice, and economic growth. Debates surrounding capitalismos concern the appropriate balance between regulation and freedom, taxation, social safety nets, antitrust enforcement, and the role of public policy in directing or complementing market outcomes. The term also underscores the plural and evolving nature of capitalist systems across different contexts and periods.