most property is owned by people or companies, often called "firms", not by the government. it is often called private property. capitalist economies are often close to free market economies, which means that prices move up or down according to the availability of products and how many people want them. people buy and sell things according to their own judgment. in most countries there is some regulation (trade laws) and some planning done by the government. they are sometimes called "mixed economies" to indicate this. some people disagree on whether capitalism is a good idea, or how much of capitalism is a good idea.