When I was back in college (1980 graduate of a state liberal arts school,) a number of “progressive” teachers were severely critical of Capitalism. They blamed it for everything from poverty to pollution.
I did not believe then, nor do I believe now, that their claims were true. As a matter of fact, we have a lot of data to prove just the opposite: the free market can promote both widespread prosperity and a clean environment.
Sure, there are abuses; but these are found in any free system. But with enough honorable players, the system will self-correct. The end result is that nations who promote Capitalism do end up wealthier – and cleaner
Here’s the latest data to prove the point from the Heritage Foundation, via the Washington Examiner:
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“There are two real-world observations that also disprove the argument that stronger economic growth automatically leads to greater environmental pollution. First, in noncapitalist countries, environmental degradation has been a far more serious problem than in capitalist countries. Second, the correlation between economic growth and increasing resource consumption is becoming ever weaker in the age of dematerialization. Put simply, these studies point in the same direction: Capitalism is not the problem. It is the solution — both economically and environmentally.”