In my opinion, yes. It's not obvious to me that our intellectual property system encourages invention. After all, every great invention in history was "patent

In my opinion, yes. It's not obvious to me that our intellectual property system encourages invention. After all, every great invention in history was "patented" (given state license to monopolize) and immediately copied just outside of its jurisdiction (and many times within the jurisdiction in complete disregard of the legality). No company on earth would accept a state license to monopolize if it meant they were subject to price controls. Especially given how useless these licenses are at preventing global mega-corps from using them. --- Intel and AMD famously rip each others intellectual property off but don't do anything about it because they're both guilty as sin. How does that protect innovation? How does these two companies ripping each other off inhibit innovation? Basically every smart phone is identical. These companies occasionally fight but not meaningfully. But if I were to create a new smartphone I would be sued into oblivion. How does that protect innovation? --- China has an incredibly agile and innovative economy. Are they the strictest IP protectors of all? --- Intellectual property exists for the big guys to keep the little guys down. Not the opposite. Happy to be proven wrong. Every argument above was made with 0 evidence just personal observation.