资本主义经济制度是一种以生产资料所有权自由为基础的制度。因此，在资本主义之中，每个个人或团体都追求实现自身利益、满足或利润。资本主义以下列主要支柱为中心：

The Capitalist economic system is a system based on the freedom of ownership of the means of production. Thereby in Capitalism, each individual or group seeks to achieve self-interest, satisfaction or profit. Capitalism is centered on the following main pillars:

1) 私有财产或个人拥有财产的自由 2) 自身利益或利润，被视为经济活动的首要动机 3) 通过自由进入和退出市场实现的竞争性市场 4) 以供求关系为基础的市场机制，价格是平衡供求的工具 5) 国家在经济市场中的作用有限

1) Private property or individual freedom to possess 2) Self-interest or profit which is considered as the primary motive for economic activity 3) Competitive market by freedom to enter and exit the market 4) A market mechanism based on supply and demand, with price being a balancing tool 5) A limited role of a state in the economic markets.

当今经济学家将目前世界上普遍存在、大多数西方国家所遵循的经济体系称为"混合经济"。它指的是一种既在一定程度上采用自由市场、又在一定程度上由国家干预市场的经济体系。因此,它在资本使用、投资和生产方面,给予参与经济活动的个人和公司充分的自由空间。在混合经济中,国家也会在某些领域和某些情况下进行干预,以提供社会福利或防止垄断,从而维持平衡。例如,在资本主义中,价格被视为推动市场运转的"看不见的手"。然而,国家可能会对某些商品进行干预,如烟草,通过征收税款来抑制其消费。区分遵循"混合经济"的各国经济的,是国家在经济事务中干预的程度。

Economists today call the economic system that is prevalent around the world, followed by most of the Western nations, by the term ‘mixed economy.’ It means that it is an economy that combines the free market in part and state intervention in the market in part. Thus it gives the individuals and companies engaged free rein in the economy with respect to usage of capital, investment and production. In the mixed economy this is accompanied by the intervention of the state in certain areas and situations, to provide social welfare or to prevent monopoly, in order to maintain balance. For instance, pricing in capitalism is regarding as the invisible hand that moves the market. However, the state may intervene in some of the goods, like tobacco, by imposing taxes, to discourage its consumption. What distinguishes the economies of states that follow the ‘mixed economy’ is the extent of the state intervention within economic affairs.