Capitalism arose not from scratch, and a long time grew ripe within a feudal way of production. Still before in Europe of bourgeois revolutions in economic activity of manufactories rudiments of capitalist relations of production which were at full capacity shown only in the 19th century began to appear.
Capitalism as economic system
Capitalism represents the independent economic system based on a private property on fixed assets of production and domination of the free market. The defining sign of capitalism are such economic relations which assume use by owners of means of production of hired labor. The capitalist relations arise with the advent of the bourgeoisie and big group of free people who are forced to sell the labor.
The social and economic relations arising at a capitalist way of production can be divided into several rather independent types. Distinguish capitalism of free competition under which healthy rivalry between producers which use economic means for improving competitiveness of the products plays a major role in regulation of economic activity.
This form of the capitalist relations at the end of the 19th century was succeeded by monopoly capitalism at which mechanisms of the free market, how many separate largest corporations which are often spliced with the state become the regulator not so much. In certain cases the state undertakes the main role, becoming the owner of means of production, employing labor and distributing results of economic activity. Sometimes economists allocate oligarchical capitalism under which the market and free competition are put under control of the antimonopoly structures created by the state. The capitalist relations peculiar to modern American society can be an example.
Features of the capitalist relations
It is possible to refer existence to essential signs of the capitalist relations not only a private property, but also extremely developed division of labor. Capitalism is a high level of nationalization of production and the period of domination of the commodity-money relations. The labor under capitalism becomes the same goods, as well as many other things. The basis of social structure under capitalism is formed by two antagonistic classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat. In the society arranged by the principles of capitalism, the economy is formed on the basis of the market relations for which regulation the special price policy is used. Distribution of resources and the material benefits created by production under capitalism goes under the influence of market mechanisms and is defined by capital size, that is investments made in production. Capitalism which copes market relations alone practically never and anywhere meets in pure form. Almost everywhere it is exposed to control and a certain influence from the state. Since formation of the capitalist relations in society there was a fight between supporters and opponents of the state intervention in the capitalist relations.