Capitalism: The Anti-Pollutant
Here's a question: was human habitat prior to market-driven industrialization cleaner and safer than is human habitat today in those parts of the globe long marked by market-driven industrialization? Here's the answer: no, not by a long shot.
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15 January 2008
Editor, Washington Post
1150 15th St., NW
Washington, DC 20071
Dear Editor:
Anne Applebaum wisely calls upon environmentalists to recognize tradeoffs ("Tiny Car, Tough Questions," January 15). While the introduction of the $2,500 Nano car in India might produce more greenhouse gases, it will also mean better lives for millions of people. This tradeoff, however, is likely not as stark as even Ms. Applebaum supposes. As Barun Mitra points out, opposition to the Nano is "an illustration of the head-in-the-sand mind-set, which pits rising demand for consumption against environmental conservation.
"In fact, as more Indians are able to afford more cars, the scale of consumption will help improve the technology, improve efficiency and clean up the environment. It is not a coincidence, that Toyota's ascent up the world auto league has been accompanied by its pioneering efforts in new technologies and innovation. Though counter-intuitive, it is true of most areas of enterprise that only enhanced scales of consumption lead to improvement in efficiency - in this case, easily measured by tail-pipe emission."*
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
* http://indefenceofliberty.org/story.asp?storyId=866
..................
15 January 2008
Editor, Washington Post
1150 15th St., NW
Washington, DC 20071
Dear Editor:
Anne Applebaum wisely calls upon environmentalists to recognize tradeoffs ("Tiny Car, Tough Questions," January 15). While the introduction of the $2,500 Nano car in India might produce more greenhouse gases, it will also mean better lives for millions of people. This tradeoff, however, is likely not as stark as even Ms. Applebaum supposes. As Barun Mitra points out, opposition to the Nano is "an illustration of the head-in-the-sand mind-set, which pits rising demand for consumption against environmental conservation.
"In fact, as more Indians are able to afford more cars, the scale of consumption will help improve the technology, improve efficiency and clean up the environment. It is not a coincidence, that Toyota's ascent up the world auto league has been accompanied by its pioneering efforts in new technologies and innovation. Though counter-intuitive, it is true of most areas of enterprise that only enhanced scales of consumption lead to improvement in efficiency - in this case, easily measured by tail-pipe emission."*
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
* http://indefenceofliberty.org/story.asp?storyId=866
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Thursday June 12, 2008 at 7:03am
http://indefenceofliberty.org/story.aspx?id=866&pubid=588
I also think I might be the only one still reading and commenting on Market Correction. :(