Thanks, Ron

That is exactly my point. The two concepts are inseparable, and it is crazy to say “Markets are often highlighted by capitalist systems but the market does not define them as capitalist and capitalism isn’t the same idea as the free market…” They totally are the same idea.

Capitalism is as old as civilisation itself, probably a lot older. Neolithic hunter/gatherers understood that “This is my spear, go make your own, or trade me for it.” Only the word Capitalism was invented in the 1700’s, the activity goes back to the caves. Capitalism’s core belief: private ownership of property did logically come before the concept of a market, it enabled the individual barter negotiations that evolved into proper markets.

There is always someone coming along to muddy the water by over-analysing simple concepts: Capitalism is the Free Market.