Some things are best done by a person working in his ow her own, or with a few others, with resources they can get hold of through their own efforts. That's private enterprise.

Some things need a lot of people to work together, with resources they have to get from elsewhere. That means some kind of public enterprise, either based on a co-operative of some sort, or with the local or national elected government involved.

Or it means a corporate business model, which increasingly means the banks and the dodgy investment scheme they have set up, are in control.

There's no reason why private enterprise and public enter[rise can't exist alongside each other perfectly happily. The same can be true of corporate enterprise, but not in a dominating role.

What has happened is that people have bought into the idea that private enterprise and corporate enterprise are the same thing, and that there is no room for anything else. And what that in practice means is that corporate enterprise (ie the banks and the investment funds) dominate everything, and to a growing extent grind down real "private enterprise".

In our town we've got two places you can go to to fix a pushbike. There's a great little bicycle shop, selling and repairing, tucked away in a side street. Rapid friendly service, fix anything, chat about anything, can supply anything.

And we've also got a great big Halfords with a bike section. Nothing like as good, costs you more and takes longer to do the work. But they have a big store in a shopping centre, and lots of advertising.

Yesterday I had to take a bike in to be fixed, and of course I went to the little shop. "We're closing down in seven weeks".

Another nail in the coffin of genuine free enterprise, and a victory for corporate business.

Diatribes against socialism are picking the wrong target, and letting the real enemy get away with murder.