who invented capitalism

Capitalism was not invented by a single person; it evolved over time. However, the theory of modern capitalism is traditionally traced to the 18th-century work of Adam Smith, a Scottish economist and philosopher. His 1776 book, "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations," laid the foundation for classical economic theory and described how individuals acting in their own self-interest could lead to economic prosperity in a system of free markets. Antecedent forms of capitalist systems existed as far back as ancient times, and capitalism as an economic system began to take recognizable form in the 16th century, especially with the industrialization of mass production enterprises in England. Thus, Adam Smith is often called the "father of capitalism," while acknowledging that no single individual invented capitalism outright.