German word

Kapitalismus

Pronunciation

IPA/kapitaˈlɪsmʊs/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncapitalism

Example

Viele Bücher erklären, wie der Kapitalismus funktioniert.

Many books explain how capitalism works.

Illustration for Kapitalismus (capitalism)

More examples

Viele Ökonomen diskutieren, ob Kapitalismus ohne staatliche Regulierung stabil bleiben kann.

Many economists are discussing whether capitalism can remain stable without government regulation.

Core concept

Factories, companies, and funds are privately controlled while prices and production follow the pursuit of profit.

Common phrases

  • freier Kapitalismus

    laissez-faire capitalism

  • soziale Folgen des Kapitalismus

    social effects of capitalism

Similar words

Marktwirtschaft: An economic system organized around market exchange and price formation.
Sozialismus: An economic system based on public ownership of production and equal distribution.
freie Marktwirtschaft: An economy centered on free exchange with minimal state intervention.
Kapital: Money and assets invested in or used for business activity.

Definition in German

Kapitalismus ist ein Wirtschafts- und Gesellschaftssystem, in dem Produktionsmittel überwiegend in Privatbesitz sind und ökonomische Entscheidungen durch Gewinnorientierung und Märkte gelenkt werden.

Word origin

The German noun was formed from Kapital with -ismus, a suffix used for systems, movements, and doctrines, and became established in modern German.

Usage tips

  • The masculine noun takes the article der, as in der Kapitalismus, and the common phrase im Kapitalismus uses the dative after im.

Opposites

  • Sozialismussocialismnoun
  • Planwirtschaftplanned economynoun

Related words

  • kapitalistischcapitalisticadjective
  • Kapitalistcapitalistnoun

Word lists with this word