  In the context of supersymmetric Wess-Zumino models with an R symmetry, we
find some simple conditions on the R-charge content of the theory that imply
the presence or absence of supersymmetric and R-symmetric vacua. The main
result of this work is that the comparison between the number of R-charge 0 and
R-charge 2 superfields is essential to the properties of the model as regards
symmetry breaking. We also study possible exceptions to the Nelson-Seiberg
theorem --finding that there are supersymmetric vacua that break R symmetry in
generic models-- and the spontaneous breaking of R symmetry in
supersummetry-breaking vacua, with some insight on the Coleman-Weinberg
one-loop potential.
