ABSTRACT
The scope of the environmental problems is enormous—they can only be taken care of in a planned economy. The author feels that the private enterprise system depends on continued growth to perpetuate itself, whereas this is not necessarily the case in "socialist economies there is no theoretical demand for continuous growth." A study of pollution and economic growth in countries with communist regimes as well as in state-run economies of the developing world reveals little evidence. Even less theory to indicate that zero economic growth (ZEG) and environmental control are any easier for communist or socialist factory managers than for their American counterparts. Compared to the United States, there is depressingly little enthusiasm in such countries for ZEG or even for environmental control. The prospects for a voluntary reduction in economic growth and for an effective program of environmental control are not very bright.
