Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghitulescu
...
Since this forum is for books (so was the copyright initially, BTW), it's the same: before 1923, the americans copied like hell european works, but once they get the upperhand, they used the same policy to impose the copyright on other nations.
In the end, the copyright is a social contract: we, the people, accept to grant a monopole to someone for a work s/he did, in order for her/him to harvest the fruits of her/him activity, but after a while, said work has to become public, for everyone to benefit. Imagine social primitive tribes imposing a 20000 years copyright ban on fire or wheel.... In the end, since we are discussing books, it was the public-founded school the one that taught for free the future author - at least for this reason we expect something in return during our lives, for we paid her/him during our lives.
|
I think you mean 1976 for the US, not 1923. 1976 was when the US joined the Berne treaty and went from 28+28 to life+50 or 75 years.
The US has a public school system for two major reason, first it was thought that everyone should be able to read the Bible and second because it was recognized that a Democracy requires an informed citizenry.