Some often wonder what it is that makes the United States the richest country in history. The answer is actually quite simple. It's Capitalism, pure and simple. Though many, in great numbers, would like to see the US move to a more socialistic form of economy. Those with that thought process are NOT your run of the mill uneducated, communist hater of America. On the contrary, they are for the most part extremely intelligent liberal leaning patriots with an idealism that many have had in the past. Few can really argue that in theory a socialism utopia sounds good. All people work for the good of all people, pulling their own weight, and sharing the fruit of the land. Native Americans lived very much this way before the Europeans settled here. Socialism, besides having a stifling dogma from the outset, has it's problem in it's practical application. Many say that in a free enterprise system, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is even truer in the application of a socialist economy. The rich get richer and the poor have NO CHANCE for advancement. Greed still has its effects in high levels of government and it winds up with a all working for a few instead of all for everyone. With capitalism in its purest form, everyone at least has an equal chance to succeed.

Defining capitalism is important at this point. The existence of a free marketplace where people set their own prices for goods and services and the market determines if such can be sold for those prices. This summarizes the basic definition of capitalism. The government in most cases stays out of the way with the theory behind the system that supply and demand will create the necessary balance. The more a product or service is in demand the higher the price. The lower the demand, the lower the price. Other things factor in as well such as cost of production and advertising. If a product is rare, you can expect the price to be very high if there is any kind of demand. Competition is inherent to capitalism which in turn helps keep prices at their lowest possible point. All in all, everyone should have a chance in the free enterprise marketplace. The hardest working, smartest, most ingenious and creative people rise to the top in a capitalist society.

On the other hand, looking at a socialist system the government provides the basic needs. Prices are set on health care, housing, food, schooling, and almost everything else. More often than not, the basic needs are free to the general population. Those who do not work at all are provided for just as well as those who work the hardest. There is little chance of becoming wealthy or raising one's social status in a socialist economy and there's little incentive to be the best one can be or work the hardest at anything. The idea that everyone is equal is taken to the extreme. Too often, this even becomes twisted in almost every socialist nation. The government reaps the rewards of their people's hard work and the politicians (who may or may not have been "elected" to office by the people) become the only example of wealth and success in the country.

As a businessperson(whether you work at home or otherwise), you owe the success you have achieved first and foremost to your own efforts that are due to the fact that you live in a capitalist society. Your level of success and advancement will be as high as your own merit and abilities can take you. Your ideas and speech are free with only your own limitations holding you back. All the while, as Americans we live in the most generous country on earth. Our own government programs and even more importantly, private charities, do a ton to take care of those less fortunate at a greater level than any other economy. This is why capitalism has thrived and will continue to prevail while the United States will continue to be the world leader in progress and innovation.

Those with the entrepreneurial mind should be thankful and extol the opportunity they have in such an economy to live their dream of business ownership. Whether you have a work at home online internet business or a traditional storefront, the free enterprise marketplace through capitalism has afforded you the chance to feature you talents and interests in the (global) marketplace.