How the lack of Intellectual Property in Germany created an explosion of knowledge and innovation
Posted by Anen-o-me@reddit | Libertarian | View on Reddit | 7 comments
zugi@reddit
For thousands of years humans innovated by using, imitating, and improving on the ideas of others. That's how civilization advanced.
Lately a bunch of lawyers want to stop progress by claiming ownership of ideas. That's ridiculous and stands the idea of property on its head. In your own garage, using your own stuff, you can't do what you want if a lawyer says the idea is owned by someone else... That's a violation of your freedom.
I realize printing presses made copying easier, but even so I feel like the U.S. Founder's were on the right track by saying that "to promote the progress of science and useful arts", Congress could grant authors and inventors monopolies over writings and inventions "for limited times." The first copyright law was good for 14 years. If copyrights only lasted 14 years, I'd have fewer problems with them. Now thanks to Disney lobbyists, they've been extended to an outrageous 95 or even 120 years! And it's mostly about monetizing entertainment and enriching corporations - it certainly does not "promote the progress of science or useful arts."
Sea_Journalist_3615@reddit
"Congress could grant authors and inventors monopolies over writings and inventions "for limited times." The first copyright law was good for 14 years. "
Ok but this is a rejection of private property.
Because if you patent/copyright something and I want to use MY resources, MY tools ect to build a copy without stealing anything at all, guys with guns will come shut me down and shoot me if I refuse.
Intellectual property is commie fucking garbage. My resources are not yours to control how I arrange, assemble and build with.
natermer@reddit
It is still how it works. It is just now something the government works actively against.
Born_Juice_2167@reddit
Interesting point of view! It shows that IP rules that aren't as strict can sometimes make things more creative and open to more people, even if it's not how we usually do things.
flynnparish@reddit
Has anyone tried to reform the current patent laws into a reward based system instead of a temporary monopoly? You could give out cash prizes to top 500 patents every and each year to its individual inventor instead of establishing a total market monopoly.
Barskor1@reddit
You can't copy Grog's wheel! or me burn you with Ouk's Fire!
Rob_Rockley@reddit
I don't think the issue is that simple. Here's an alternate view. 19th century Germany outpaced England, but so did everyone else, including countries with restrictive copyright laws. In the der Spiegel article it notes that Sigismund Hermbstädt did receive royalties for his work, implying that he was still being paid for his work in spite of the absence of laws that would protect him. German printers made large quantities of cheap books, in contrast to English printers who made small quantities of expensive books.