There was a great article on Ars Technica years ago (decade+) that talked about weak property law in general and intellectual property in particular being a nec

There was a great article on Ars Technica years ago (decade+) that talked about weak property law in general and intellectual property in particular being a necessary part for developing countries to succeed. As they grow the value of all property increases to the point where property law becomes much more important and strict. It was a really good read, but it doesn't seem to be available online anymore. Also, from the article: "In the 1870s, American textile companies would send employees to work in British factories. They would take notes on textile equipment and bring back the information. The Russians and East Germans stole U.S. computer and chip designs during the Cold War."