This article presents possible categorizations of economic systems.

Please note that there is often a strong correlation between certain ideologies, political systems and certain economic systems (for example, consider the meanings of the term "communism"). Many economic system overlap each other in various areas (for example, the term "mixed economy" can be argued to include elements from various systems). There are also various mutually exclusive hierarchical categorizations.

The four most basic and general economic systems are:

• Market economy (the basis for several "right-wing" systems, such as capitalism)
• Mixed economy (arguably the "centrist" economic system)
• Planned economy (the basis for several "left-wing" systems, such as socialism)
• Traditional economy (a generic term for the oldest and traditional economic systems)

List by name

An etymologist's approach to economic system, this list will attempt to sort all possible economic systems in alphabetical order, without any attempt at hierarchization. If a given economic system has several names, all are listed with a note beside each of them informing the reader that it is one of several alternate listed names.

• Anarchism
• Anarcho-capitalism
• Anarcho-communism also known as libertarian socialism, libertarian communism and left-anarchism
• Autarky
• Barter economy
• Buddhist Economy
• Capitalism
• Colonialism
• Command economy also known as planned economy
• Coordinatorism
• Corporate capitalism
• Communism
• Coordinatorism
• Gandhian Economy
• Left-anarchism also known as libertarian socialism, libertarian communism and anarcho-communism
• Eco-capitalism
• Feudalism
• Green economy
• Hydraulic despotism (see also hydraulic empire)
• Libertarian socialism also known as anarcho-communism, libertarian communism and left-anarchism
• Libertarian communism also known as libertarian socialism, anarcho-communism and left-anarchism
• Market economy
• Market socialism also known as Socialist Market Economy
• Mercantilism
• Mixed economy
• Neo-colonialism
• New economy
• Parecon also known as participatory economy
• Participatory economy also known as parecon
• Planned economy also known as command economy
• Self-management (as in Economy of Yugoslavia)
• Shortage economy
• Social market economy
• Socialist market economy also known as market socialism
• Socialism
• Subsistence economy
• Synthetic economy
• Traditional economy
• Turbo-capitalism

List by left-wing and right-wing

Typically, "left-wing" economic systems involve a greater role for society and/or the government to determine what gets produced, how it gets produced, and who gets the produced goods and services, with the aim of ensuring social justice and a more equitable distribution of wealth (see welfare state). Meanwhile, "right-wing" economic systems give more power to certain private individuals (or corporations) to make those decisions, rather than leaving them up to society as a whole, and often limit government involvment in the economy.

The primary concern of "left" economic systems is usually egalitarianism, while the primary concern of "right" economic systems is usually private property.

The following list divides the main economic systems into "left-wing" and "right-wing" and it attempts to structure the systems in a given section by alphabetical order and in a vertical hierarchy where possible.

"Left-wing" systems

• Anarchism
• Communism
  • Anarcho-communism also known as libertarian socialism, libertarian communism and left-anarchism
• Gift economy
• Participatory economy
• Socialism
  • Social market economy also known as Soziale Marktwirtschaft
  • Socialist market economy also known as Market socialism

"Right-wing" systems

• Capitalism
  • Anarcho-capitalism
  • Corporate capitalism
• Feudalism