Sam Walton

Even when I was a child, my talent for entrepreneurship was obvious. Growing up on a farm in Oklahoma in the midst of the Great Depression, I helped support the family by delivering milk, taking on newspaper routes, and selling magazine subscriptions. After earning a business degree from the University of Missouri, I worked for J.C. Penney and joined the military. I owned a Ben Franklin franchise for a while, but then started the first Walmart store. This grew into the largest retailer in America, due to my innate talent for business, hard work, and useful discount marketing tactics. I was the wealthiest person in the country at one point, and have even been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. How is it that I became the founder of both Walmart and Sam's Club? I have America to thank for that. It is a nation of opportunities for everyone, even those with rural upbringings. It gave me the chance to use my entrepreneurship skills and put them to the test. It allowed me to improve my financial situation and become a self-made businessman.

Zdenek Bakala

Communist Czechoslovakia

When I was living in communist Czechoslovakia, I felt as if I had no choice. I was forced to accept the fact that I would become a poor tradesman for the rest of my life. But then I had an idea. At the age of 19, I hid a 50 dollar bill in a sandwich and escaped to America in hopes of finding a better life there. I first took a job washing dishes at a casino. Later on, I got a degree from UC Berkeley and then Dartmouth. I returned to the Czech Republic in order to help push forward capitalism, investment banks, the stock market, and the coal industry. I spent long hours of work privatizing the society there, which had never been exposed to a free market before. I am now in charge of a successful coal company with sites throughout Central Europe, as well as several other companies. I definitely owe my success to America, truly a nation that benefits even poor immigrants like me. Living in a communist society, there were no opportunities open to me. However, with capitalism, opportunities were everywhere, and I made the most of them.

Herbert Spencer

I am most famous for popularizing the theory, Social Darwinism, which applies Charles Darwin's beliefs of evolution to society and economics. If for organisms, "survival of the fittest" is true, then it must also be true for aspects of human life. Those who are "best fit" with the most valuable genes will thrive and pass on their genes to future generations. Likewise, those who work hard will prosper in life and move up the social system to a higher class. If nature deems competition between organisms necessary, then who are we to deny Mother Nature? Competition between businesses and entrepreneurs is an important part of the economy, and is beneficial to the society as a whole. Besides, since it is human nature to be selfish, then a capitalist society works the best. Utopianism, communism, and other systems all rely on human nature to be selfless. But that's just not how it works. Individuals of that society are bound to be selfish, and desire private ownership and earning profits for themselves. Sorry, but no one is going to agree to having everything be shared and distributed equally. That would be denying our own nature. Capitalism meets the needs of humans, and it takes Mother Nature into account too. Capitalism does it all.

Leonardo Del Vecchio

In 2011, I was the 71st richest man in the world. Believe it or not, I grew up fatherless and in an orphanage, since my mother could not support her five children. At the age of 14, I became an apprentice for a tool manufacturer, where I had my first experience with eyewear. After I moved to the eyewear capital of Italy, I founded a glasses company that later grew into Luxottica, which globally dominates the manufacturing of eyewear and owns countless stores and brands, such as Lenscrafters, Sunglass Hut, Ray-Ban, and Oakley. I went from rags to riches, from a penniless child to a billionaire, and all because I lived in a capitalist society that allowed me to benefit from my hard work. Oh the places you'll go with capitalism!

Howard Schultz

I was born into the lower middle class in 1953, and grew up in Brooklyn's housing projects. I was able to go to Northern Michigan University because of a football scholarship, and afterwards, I spent a few years working at Xerox Corporation. While later working for Hammerplast, a company that manufactured coffee makers, I visited Starbucks coffee company, a coffee bean shop, as part of my job. It was then that I realized what I wanted to do. I became their Director of Marketing, and set out to make Starbucks a place where people can not only drink coffee, but can also relax. I expanded the shop across the country. Today I am the CEO of Starbucks, and also own Seattle Supersonics. I have been given the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award, in addition to the FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism. My story, as well as countless others, goes to show that where you come from is not important. Although I was not born into a rich family, I was still able to become a thriving CEO, due to the fact that I live in a society full of opportunities.

Harold Hamm

Today I live as a billionaire, but I certainly wasn't born one. I was born in 1945 in rural Oklahoma to sharecrop cotton farmers. I lived in a crowded one-bedroom house with 12 other siblings. Because I could not pay for college, I began working at a gas station. Nearby oil drilling stations first inspired me to chase after the dream of starting an oil company. Although I had no idea how to drill oil, I slowly accumulated information from any engineers or geologists I came across. By doing endless hours of work and studying maps, I was able to find a close by, unoccupied oil source, and drilled an oil well that changed my life. Due to its success and rising oil prices, I was able to start a drilling firm, eventually called Continental Resources. I learned geology at a university, expanded the firm across the US, and became a billionaire. Isn't it amazing how in a capitalist society like America, anyone can rise to prosperity? I was able to escape poverty, and transform from a gas station worker to the CEO of a successful company. Surely, anything is possible.

Ayn Rand

I was born in Russia in 1905 and became a famous writer, best known for putting forth the ideas of objectivism. This philosophy believes that humans live to serve themselves and to attain their own happiness. There is no "living for the good of the society." That's nonsense. It never works out in reality. Ever since I read about U.S. history when I was in high school, I have praised America as a true nation of freedom that other nations should look up to. It is a model of capitalism, where property rights are protected amongst other individual rights. As an objectivist, I completely disagree with any society that plans on redistributing wealth in a government-regulated economy. Giving equal amounts of wealth to everyone seems fair at first. But that would mean equal profits for the entrepreneur who created life-changing inventions and the same profits for a lazy person who did nothing. Is that fair? Absolutely not. These societies were based on the idea that everyone should be rich, leading happy lives. The wealthy shouldn't dominate over the poor. But if everyone is rich, isn't that the same thing as saying everyone's poor? And look: that's exactly what happened when communist nations all turned out to have miserable, starving people. The government controlled all means of production. Well that can't possibly become corrupt, now can it? Capitalism gives you the chance to move up to the wealthy class, while also limiting the government with a free market economy. A money-based society allows people to gain for themselves, which is what objectivism is all about.

Coco Chanel

My name is Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, but you can call me Coco Chanel. I was born in 1883 in the Loire Valley of France. When I was just 6 years old, my mother passed away, leaving my father to raise 5 children. However, I was separated from my siblings and sent to an orphanage, where I learned how to sew. I first worked for a tailor, and then as a singer in restaurants and concert halls. I later began to design hats, with my first stores being financed thanks to my friend, the rich industrialist Arthur Edward Capel. This is the story of how I became one of the most famous fashion figures of the 1900s. I innovated new styles for women and developed a perfume that has remained popular even today. I was a pioneer in designing loose women's jersey, which dramatically changed fashion. Although I came from humble origins, living in poverty, that did not stop me from emerging as a fashion icon. Anyone can work their way up in society and prosper if they put in the effort. My success story is one of many, all coming from people who lived in capitalist societies. Are famous entrepreneurs and industrialists coming to mind? Just think: this could be YOU.

Thomas L. Friedman

“America is the greatest engine of innovation that has ever existed, and it can't be duplicated anytime soon, because it is the product of a multitude of factors: extreme freedom of thought, an emphasis on independent thinking, a steady immigration of new minds, a risk-taking culture with no stigma attached to trying and failing, a noncorrupt bureaucracy, and financial markets and a venture capital system that are unrivaled at taking new ideas and turning them into global products.” 

Our country is successful because it is a capitalist nation. We fought against the spread of communism in the 20th century and have remained intact, even as these other communist nations fell apart. This system is the only system that can support our country. Look at how far we have come with capitalism for the past few centuries! If we were to establish a new society with a different system, would we still even be America? For anyone who considers themselves a true patriot, if you are willing to infringe upon the core values of this nation that we have praised so strongly by turning to a different society that is unAmerican, then you cannot truly call yourself a supporter of America.  

Thomas Edison

Before

After

It may be difficult today to imagine a city without light, but in the early 1800s, a city with light was just as difficult to imagine. Before my revolutionary invention, people were limited to candle light, gas lights, oil lamps, and other inefficient methods of lighting. The development of the lightbulb paved the way for monumental changes in the way people lived their lives. Like other inventions, the light bulb was made possible by entrepreneurs who had benefited from the capitalist system. I would have gotten nowhere if capitalism had not given me the opportunity to work hard and rise in society. All 1,093 of my patents would never have existed, including the phonograph and motion picture camera. Capitalism combined with hard work was what fueled my success. I owe my status as a famous inventor to this generous system. The convenient inventions people use on a daily basis are a result of successful inventors who were able to live up to their full potential because of capitalism. People's lives would be very different today if these inventors lived in a society that did not give them a chance to succeed. The next time you see faraway city lights twinkling in the darkness, be reminded that it all trails back to the capitalist society in which you live. 

Do Won Chang

My name is Do Won Chang. I was born on March 20th, 1954 in South Korea. I moved to California in 1981 with my family. I worked three jobs as a janitor, gas station employee, and coffee shop attendant to support my family in America. After three tough years, I was able to open my first retail store called Fashion 21 in Highland Park, Los Angeles. it grew to be the retail clothing giant Forever 21. The multinational clothing empire has four hundred eighty outlets worldwide. The company is family operated. It generates an annual income of three billion dollars. As of 2012, my net worth is four billion dollars. I was an immigrate who came here with nothing. It is truly a land of opportunity.

John Paul DeJoria

My name is John Paul DeJoria and I was born on April 13th, 1944 in Los Angeles, California. My parents divorced when I was only two years old. When I was nine years old, I sold Christmas cards and newspapers with my older brother to support my family. My single mother was unable to support us, so we were sent to a foster home in East Los Angeles. Since I was young, I was a member of a street gang. One day, my math teacher told me that I would never succeed in anything in life. Right then I decided to change my life. I graduated high school in 1962 and joined the United States Navy for two years. After that, I had numerous jobs which included being a janitor and an insurance salesman. I loaned seven hundred dollars and I founded JPM Systems to sell my company's shampoo door-to-door while living out of my car. From that point, my company has expanded and developed. Today, my company has an annual profit of nine hundred million dollars.

Ursula Burns

My name is Ursula Burns and I was born on September 20th, 1958 to i grew up in a housing project in Manhattan's Lower East Side. This particular area was filled with gangs. I was raised by a single mother who was a Panamanian immigrant. She ran a daycare center at our house. She also ironed shirts for a fee so that I could go to school at Cathedral High School. I earned my Mechanical Engineering degree at NYU. I then became an intern at Xerox. I worked my way up the company from then on. I became executive assistant, then vice president for global manufacturing, senior vice president, and I am currently the chairman and CEO of Xerox. I became the first African-American woman to ever lead a Fortune 500 company and the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a Fortune 500 company. I am currently the 14th most powerful woman in the world.

John D. Rockefeller

My name is John Davison Rockefeller and I was born on July 8th, 1839 in Richford, New York. I was one out of six children. I may have inherited my good business sense from my father. He was a traveling salesman who used all the tricks to get out of decent hard work. He always taught me to get the best deal in all things. My mother struggled to raise the six of us. We moved a numerous of time. I was able to finish school and get my first job. I became a bookkeeper and earned fifty dollars in three months. Later on, in 1859, I decided to build an oil refinery with my good friend Maurice B. Clark. Years passed and I bought my friend's refinery firm. I renamed it Rockefeller & Andrews. I also founded the Standard Oil Company. I became the world's first billionaire and the richest person in history.

Joanne Rowling

My name is Joanne Rowling and I was born on July 31st, 1965 to Anne and Peter Rowling in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. In 1990, my family and I moved to Portugal, and that year my mother died. I began writing my first Harry Potter novel before my mother's death. During that time, I became a single mother with a daughter living on welfare. I suffered from clinical depression until I finished the first book to the Harry Potter Series in 1997. I was able to finish it by writing on scraps of tissue paper from an abundant of different cafes. We visited these cafes so my daughter could sleep while I would write. Within five years, I went from being on welfare to a multimillionaire. Over 400 million of my books have been sold worldwide and my current net worth is about one billion dollars.

Kirk Kerkorian

My name is Kirk Kerkorian and I was born on June 6th, 1917. I was born in Armenia and grew up during the Great Depression. I learned English when I lived on the street. I dropped out of eighth grade to become a boxer. Later on, I became a pilot for the Royal Air Force during World War ll. I delivered supplies over the Atlantic ocean, flying the most dangerous routes. In 1962, I bought charter planes and also engaged in real estate in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, I bought The Flamingo and built the Las Vegas scenic and The International and MGM Grand. I became the "father of the mega-resort"

Elizabeth Murray

My name is Elizabeth Murray and i was born in the Bronx, New York on September 23, 1980. I was born to poor and drug-addicated parents. Later on, they both contracted HIV.  My sister and I had to deal with everything alone, especially sicknesses. We went days with food. I remember that we were so humbly that we ate toothpaste and lip balm. I became homeless when I was fifteen. My mother died of AIDS and my father moved to a homeless shelter. I would sleep on the streets or at my friends' houses during my teenage years.  Despite what had happened, I began attending the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan. I started high school late and did not have a stable home, but I graduate in two years. I was awarded a scholarship for needy students and was later on accepted to Harvard University in 2000. My older sister graduated from Purchase College and she became a teacher for students with autism. In 2006, my father died of AIDS and later that year, I returned to Harvard and I became a counselor and earned a doctorate in clinical phsycology.

Andrew Carnegie

My name is Andrew Carnegie and I was born in Dunfermiline, Scotland, in 1835, in a weaver's cottage with one room. For generations my family had been master hand loom weavers. As the industrial revolution introduced steam-powered looms, the family business collapsed. My family became so poor that I would go to bed early to forget about the misery of hunger. My dad had to beg for work. When I was twelve years old, I moved with my family to Pittsburgh, when my aunts lived. We all slept in one room.  A year later, I started working in a boiler room of a textile factory. I used to have terrifying nightmares about the boiler of the factory exploding. Later on, I took a job as a messenger at a telegraph office and I worked there for several years. When I turned seventeen, I became a telegrapher and assistant for a local railroad man. With my high salary, I started to invest in a sleeping car company, which became profitable. I later helped form a pig iron company to build railroad bridges, which became very profitable. In 1865, I left the railroad and moved to New York to build a steel company. Carnegie Steel grew into an empire. By 1900, my company produced more steel than all of Great Britain. A year later, i sold my company to JP Morgan. I then became the richest man in the world. With my money, I donated to three thousand libraries, parks, education, arts, and world peace.

Jim Carrey

My name is Jim Carrey and I was born in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. I was born to Kathleen, a homemaker, and Percy Carrey, who was a musician and accountant. I  have three older siblings. My left started to fall apart when my father, a musician, lost his job. His job was what supported my family. I went from being part of the lower middle class to poor. My entire family was living in a van. When I was fifteen, I quit school so I could work as a janitor to help support my family. Later on, my family moved to Scarborough, Ontario, and i attended Blessed Trinity Catholic School for two years. I never finished high school because I had to work full-time to help my family survive severe economic hardship. I also had to help take care of my mother who battled a chronic illness. I started to do comedy shows in Toronto and that was where a comedian noticed me. He signed me up to tour performances and I then moved to the United States. It was the place of opportunity. I was taken to a place of opportunity. I later on turned to the film and television industries and I have acted in numerous films. My success continued throughout my acting in each film.

Oprah Winfrey

"It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always." -Oprah Winfrey

My name is Oprah Winfrey. I am an American talk show host, actress, producer, CEO of my own television network, and philanthropist. I was born on January 29, 1954 to an unwed and unemployed teenage mother. I lived with my grandmother on her farm in my early year, while my mother looked for a job. I stayed with her for a couple of years and then stayed with my father, who was a very strict man, that helped me succeed. At the age of six, I was sent back to live with my mother, who worked full time. I stayed with male relatives who repeatedly molested me. The abuse lasted from when I was nine to thirteen. I tried to run away and I got sent to a juvenile detention home. I was denied from there because all the beds were filled. When I finally turned fourteen, I finally left and was on my own. During the time I was independent, I became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy who died in infancy. After that, I was seventeen and I went back to live with my father. I then went on to win Miss Black Tennessee and I was offered a job on WVOL, a radio station for the African American community in Nashville. I also won a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. There, I majored in Speech Communication and Performing Arts. After school, I became a reporter and anchor for a local news station.Since I was a child, both my grandmother and father knew that I was a gifted child. Later on, in 1976, I became a co-host for WJZ-TV News in Baltimore. There, I co-hosted my first talk show called People are Talking, while being an anchor and news reporter at the same time. Less than a year later, I was invited on a talk show host and I turned AM Chicago into one of the most popular shows. A year later, it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. My show broadcasted nationally and because of it, I have won many awards. On top of my talk show, I acted in a couple of movies. After twenty four seasons and over five thousand broadcasts, I decided to end the show and create my own television network. It is called Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN. On my own television channel, I host a program every night, called Oprah's Lifeclass. I have been called "the most powerful woman in the world."In 2013, President Barack Obama awarder me the Presidential Medal of Freedom.