>> NPEs should not be allowed. If so, then the industrial revolution of the 19th century and much of our nown technological progress more recently would never

>> NPEs should not be allowed. If so, then the industrial revolution of the 19th century and much of our nown technological progress more recently would never have happened. Research conducted by B. Zorina Khan and Kenneth Sokoloff found that 2/3 of the 400 "Great Inventors" of the 19th century (including Thomas Blanchard and Thomas Edison) were NPEs. In fact, what was hisorically unique about the American patent systemn was that it was the first in the world aimed agt encouraging ordinary workers, farmers and artisans to participate in inventive activity. So even though most such inventors didn't have the capital to manufacture their products and inventions themselves, they licensed their discoveries to large firms who could. The trend continues today. In fact, that's why people like Roger Hoffman, perhaps the most prolific patentee of new environmental and anti-pollution technologies, are able to keep inventing -- i.e., by licensing their discoveries to larger firms.