My understanding is that LEGO changes their molds very frequently, leading to greater expense but if you've ever played with "off brand" versions of the same th

My understanding is that LEGO changes their molds very frequently, leading to greater expense but if you've ever played with "off brand" versions of the same thing, it's easy to see why it's important. I'm sure there's also just a brand surcharge. Of course as a socialist I wish all of this was open source and not-for-profit. But given private ownership and the profit motive, I'm pretty happy with LEGO quality.