After watching A Civil Action, and studying the economic and environmental issues involved I feel that the way they solved the problem was the best way that they possibly could have. If they would have used the Pygovian Taxes it would not have solved the problem and people would have still died in the future. Furthermore just taxing them for the ability to pollute does not really punish the company for what they did in the past, which they certainly did need to be.
In this case after many kids died and people got sick from drinking polluted water, which the company polluted knowing the bad effects that it could have, the company not only polluted but put other people at risk. This crosses the personal rights protected by the United States. Not only did they put other people at risk but they knew that they were doing this which makes it even worse ethically and morally. For the government
Because of all these reasons the citizens are forced to bring the company to court. In this case I feel that the court system is the best way to have the problem be solved. Without taking the company to court nothing would be solved and more innocent people would die. The court system while not always right is in this case the only way to punish the company and protect the citizens. Regardless of what other economic possibilities there are, and economic solutions that can be offered, this problem cannot be solved that way. It will take government intervention through the court system to solve the problem which is at hand, and to make the company fix their pollution problem.
A company is going to going to do what is best for them, not for the citizens. This is a simple economic theory that all humans and firms are greedy and what they need or what they want comes first, before that of h