Does Capitalism Harm the Environment?

Is capitalism wrecking the planet—or is that the biggest environmental myth of our time? From Naomi Klein in This Changes Everything to Karl Marx in Das Kapital, and even Pope Francis in Laudato Si', influential voices have argued that free markets are fundamentally incompatible with environmental protection. The claim is bold: if you care about the Earth, you must abandon capitalism. But does history actually support that narrative? In this episode, Cal Beisner launches a powerful new series examining the real-world environmental records of socialist and capitalist systems—from East Germany and the Soviet Union to Mao’s China. The evidence is sobering, and it raises uncomfortable questions about property rights, poverty, prosperity, and political freedom. If you’ve ever been told that saving the planet requires rejecting free markets, this series is for you. Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.