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Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
What taxes? Income taxes?
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Yes, taxes.
When I call the police, they don't hand me a bill for their services. When I call the fire department, I don't receive an invoice. The costs for those protections are distributed across the society.
If I sell copies of my intellectual property, then I'm paying taxes on it.
And the companies that sell intellectual content, and content creators who collect royalties on those sales, are also paying taxes on that content.
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Originally Posted by RSE
But a free ride is sooo seductive...Until somebody else starts taking it from you for themselves....
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No one is getting a "free ride."
The actual costs of enforcement often fall on those seeking protection. E.g. when James Brown asserted that various hip-hop artists were sampling his music without his permission and without compensating him, he had to pay the lawyers, pay the researchers and expert witnesses. The state even charges for court costs.
There are instances when the government will get law enforcement involved. In those cases, it's usually to protect the interests of companies that sell content -- and pay taxes on those sales.
No one is forcing anyone to transfer their rights. A publisher cannot force an author to sign a contract, period. No one is "taking it for themselves" unless you signed on the dotted line. If you don't understand the implications of what you're signing, and/or didn't get a lawyer to read it to help you protect your interests, then that's your own fault.