Chapter 16 Economics of environment and renewable resources in socialist systems : Part 1: Russia Part 2: China This chapter discusses the Soviet system that serves to facilitate or prevent pollution. It discusses the extent to which the U.S.S.R.s culture and endowment have led to or away from pollution. It discusses the way the lack of pluralism and the overwhelming emphasis on production make it difficult to protect the Soviet environment. The Soviet experience indicates that Soviet environmental theory and law are more impressive on paper than in practice. The Soviet Union has long had legislation setting limits on waste discharge that is by far more demanding than any other country in the world. It was widely acknowledged in the U.S.S.R. that these limits were set more to impress the outside world than to constrain Soviet producers. Much of the reason for the existence of pollution in the Soviet Union arises from the fact that the Soviet Union has placed and continues to place so much emphasis on economic growth.