There are several different types of economic systems employed by nations. Two such types, socialism and capitalism are the most common. Capitalism is often referred to as a free market economy in its purest form; a common type of socialism is communism. Embedded in these economic systems are political and social elements that influence the degree of purity of each system. In other words, many capitalist nations have elements of socialism interwoven. So even though there are different degrees or levels of commitment to the ideals of capitalism, there are several traits that are common among all capitalists.