A capitalist economy is an economic system characterized by private ownership of factors of production. In such an economy, individuals, rather than the government or state, own and control resources such as land, labor, and capital, and make decisions about their use and allocation. The goal of the system is typically to generate profits for individuals and businesses, which can then be reinvested to drive further economic growth. This is different from systems in which ownership and control of resources are more heavily regulated or centralized, such as in socialist or communist systems.