There’s no ambiguity in the term.  Capitalism is the private ownership of the means of production.  That’s it.  Not crony deals.  Not subsidies.  Not government-controlled licenses.  Not central banks distorting prices.  Pure capitalism means property rights, voluntary exchange, and freedom of association.  The state has no role in managing production, pricing, or distribution, none.

It must be distinguished from corporatism, which is statism, where the government and big business merge interests.  That’s not capitalism.  That’s favoritism with a price tag.  The confusion is intentional.  Critics will use “capitalism” to describe anything involving money or inequality, regardless of the system.  They rely on vague impressions, not definitions.

Capitalism isn’t a flavor of statism.  It’s the rejection of it.  It’s not a “mixed economy.” That term is just camouflage.  A mix of freedom and coercion is still coercion.  The moment property rights are violated, it ceases to be capitalism.  You either own your life and what you produce—or the state does.

Statists hate real capitalism because it exposes them.  They don’t want markets.  They want management.  They want outcomes they can plan, redistribute, and command.  That’s why every label—progressive, socialist, democratic socialist, fascist, leftist—is just a rebrand of the same idea: control.

They’ll try to sell control in nicer packaging.  “Regulation.” “Fairness.” “Equity.” If that doesn’t work, they’ll attack character.  Call it “greed.” “Exploitation.” “Racism.” They’ll accuse capitalism of every evil, while defending a system of theft dressed up as compassion.  There is no debate.  Just slogans.

When all else fails, they’ll say capitalism must be tamed.  That markets must serve “the public good.” A euphemism for central planning.  For price fixing.  For top-down allocation.  If property is violated in the name of the “public,” then private ownership means nothing.  Either property is absolute or it’s abolished.

Understand this clearly: capitalism is not a political tool.  It’s not a system of rule.  It’s the absence of rulers.  It’s self-ownership and the peaceful exchange between free individuals.  Anything else—no matter the name—is statism.  Control.  Coercion.  Force.

You won’t hear this in school.  You’ll hear about “regulated markets,” “stakeholder capitalism,” and other contradictions.  The truth is simple.  Capitalism means no one owns you.  That’s why they hate it.

Reference

Ludwig von Mises; Socialism