It is essential to examine both the concept of intellectual property and the reasons why a legal system might incorporate such a concept. We are increasingly told that the wealth of nations, consists in 'intangible assets, ' which include the products of human creativity, ingenuity and effort. It is frequently argued that these assets represent the future of the developed economies and that their adequate protection by the intellectual property regimes is essential to national, regional, and even global, prosperity. We are also told that the creators of such assets have a strong moral claim...