At what point in history has copyright truly been about compensating authors? Copyright began with censorship laws, and eventually came to be nothing more than

At what point in history has copyright truly been about compensating authors? Copyright began with censorship laws, and eventually came to be nothing more than a government-granted monopoly for printing press operators. Despite the Statute of Anne mentioning authors, it was the lobbying pressure by printers who sought a competitive advantage that led to that law being passed. Authors and other artists are an afterthought.