The text An A-Z of business quotations Capitalism  is a facts of definition of capitalism written by different kind of people. Just reading the title the reader understand the matter of the text that is Capitalism. The function of this text is to explain what is capitalism and try to underline the facets of this economic system. In addition reading the name of the author you could understand that not only economists wrote about capitalism.
The function of the first paragraph is to introduces the capitalism and some  people  who wrote the quotation. Then the quotation is arranged in alphabetical order by author name.
The best definition of capitalism was written in 1942 by Joseph Shumpeter : the essential fact about capitalism is creative destruction.

LENGUAGE 
Ruling class: ▶noun an authoritative decision or pronouncement. ▶adjective exercising rule.
Private enterprise: ▶noun business or industry managed by independent companies rather than the state.
free market: ▶noun an economic system in which prices are determined by unrestricted competition between privately owned businesses.
Laissez-faire: ▶noun a policy of non-interference, especially abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market.
Tendering for leases: 
income: ▶noun money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments.
Astounding belief: Agreement 
Frontier capitalism: 
Commodities: ▶noun (pl. commodities)1.a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold 2.a useful or valuable thing.

Achievement: ▶noun 1 a thing that is achieved 2 the process or fact of achieving.
Foreign: ▶adjective coming or introduced from outside
Domestic: ▶adjective  relating to a home or family affairs or relations.
Craft shop: ▶noun an activity involving skill in making things by hand.
To earn: ▶verb obtain (money) in return for labour or services.
To employ: ▶verb give work to (someone) and pay them for it.