[lbo-talk] Intellectual property rights, free trade, and free markets

[Wojtek S]

Ken: "I have often been been puzzled by the fact that most defenders
of capitalism and free markets are also firm defenders of
Intellectual Property rights. These rights ensure that companies and
authors have monopolies and run counter to the spread of ideas and
competition among companies in free markets. The whole idea is to
prevent competition."

[WS:] Do not expect logical consistency from the defenders of
privilege.  "Free market" is sugar coating for medieval domination.
It is absolute freedom and protections for haves and competition and
market discipline for have-nots, stupid.  Intellectual property rights
are good because they protect the former from the encroachments by the
latter.  By the same logic - social welfare is bad and against free
market, but bank bailouts and corporate subsidies are good and
perfectly compatible with free market.

Pointing logical contradictions in what these people say is a waste of
time.  A better way is to chop off the heads that hold these ideas -
as good old revolutionaries did.  All crowned heads deserve a
guillotine.

-- 
Wojtek

"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."