The invention is a method of producing an essentially electrically neutral polymer dispersion, comprising a polymerizing one or more monomers in the presence of a nonionic surfactant, wherein the polymerization preferably occurs in the absence of ionic surfactants. The invention also includes methods of producing positively or negatively charged polymer dispersions comprising producing the essentially nonionic polymer dispersion and further adding a cationically-charged or anionically-charged surfactant or electrolyte. The invention further includes dispersions produced by the methods of the invention and polymer films and powders produced from these dispersions.