Capitalism is defined by the Collins English Dictionary as an "economic system based on private ownership of industry". It has come to be viewed widely by the democratic western world as a system based on individuality and freedom of rights. Or more specifically, that everyone has a right to own private property regardless of his or her background or social situation. The division of labour created by capitalism is claimed by the capitalists to be …showed first 75 words of 2004 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2004 total…of capitalism may be open to every member of society in theory, but it is certainly not evenly distributed in reality. The laws protecting the right of inheritance, I believe, ensure that these members of society who do own private property always will, and that the members of society who do not, never will. So I agree with Marx and Engels that private property rights protect the freedom of some by denying freedom to others.