When classical economists developed the ideas behind the free market economy, many failed to account for the social disparities created by industrialized society. In response to economic conditions created by capitalism, socialists argued that social order is maintained through production owned in common, a cooperative sense of human nature, and proactive government intervention. However, in defense of a free market economy, individualists contended that entrepreneurial entitlement to profit, self-interest, and limited government work to diminish social disparities highlighted by the socialists. .
One distinctly polarizing issue argued by socialists and defended by individualists is whether the entrepreneur is entitled to his profits. On one hand, socialism argues strongly that profit from production should not flow to entrepreneurs because it increases the gap between rich and poor. Marx suggested that, "the two great economic interests are those of the capitalist and the worker(who) stand in opposition since the capitalist can only prosper if the worker is exploited," (63). Marx's critique of the entrepreneur is considered the foundation for socialist thought on the issue; however, the English entrepreneur Robert Owen suggested a model where profits from production were to be divided amongst the owner to be reinvested in capital and redistributed to the workers to improve social welfare, (60). Unlike Marx, Owen did not believe, "The whole product of industry should go to the worker," yet he is still considered a vital contributor to socialist thought. Furthermore, socialism argued that a society entrenched in capitalism, where profits from entrepreneurs are reinvested into capital goods increases unemployment by replacing the worker with technology. In this way the entrepreneur is not entitled to his profits from production because they only function to exploit the working class.
