> "This is a curious point, however: it almost suggests that the proportion of innovators in a given population is (was) fixed, and they would innovate where th

> "This is a curious point, however: it almost suggests that the proportion of innovators in a given population is (was) fixed, and they would innovate where the promise of rewards is highest." True but I'll add that often for individuals to quit their jobs and focus on innovating requires more than just "the promise of rewards". Immediate funding often trumps the promise - and that funding comes from some kind of investor. Many investors view patents as: 1) a way to recoup at least some their investment dollars if the innovator can't monetize, 2) prevent competitors from simply copying the results of the R&D.