Against Intellectual Monopoly

ISBN-13: 9780521879286 / Angielski / Twarda / 2008 / 308 str.

Michele Boldrin; David K. Levine

Opis

Intellectual property patents and copyrights have become controversial. We witness teenagers being sued for pirating music and we observe AIDS patients in Africa dying due to lack of ability to pay for drugs that are high priced to satisfy patent holders. Are patents and copyrights essential to thriving creation and innovation do we need them so that we all may enjoy fine music and good health? Across time and space the resounding answer is: No. So-called intellectual property is in fact an intellectual monopoly that hinders rather than helps the competitive free market regime that has delivered wealth and innovation to our doorsteps. This book has broad coverage of both copyrights and patents and is designed for a general audience, focusing on simple examples. The authors conclude that the only sensible policy to follow is to eliminate the patents and copyright systems as they currently exist."

Recenzje

'This thought-provoking book should be read not only by academics interested in intellectual property, innovation, growth and the dynamics of markets, but also by policymakers and the general public.' Martin Peitz, University of Mannheim

Spis treści

1. Introduction; 2. Creation under consumption; 3. Innovation under competition; 4. The evil of intellectual monopoly; 5. The devil in Disney; 6. How competition works; 7. Defenses of intellectual monopoly; 8. Does intellectual monopoly increase innovation?; 9. The pharmaceutical industry; 10. The bad, the good, and the ugly.