Information Feudalism
Who Owns the Knowledge Economy
By Peter Drahos with John Braithwaite
'A singularly apposite book.'
Computer Bulletin
Paperback
July 2002 •
272 pages •
234 x 156mm •
ISBN 9781853839177
New intellectual property regimes are entrenching new inequalities. Access to information is fundamental to the exercise of human rights and marketplace competition, but patents are being used to lock up vital educational, software, genetic and other information, creating a global property order dominated by a multinational elite. How did intellectual property rules become part of the World Trade Organization's free trade agreements? How have these rules changed the knowledge game for international business? What are the consequences for the ownership of biotechnology and digital technology, and for all those who have to pay for what was once shared information? Based on extensive interviews with key players, this book tells the story of these profound transformations in information ownership. The authors argue that in the globalized information society, the rich have found new ways to rob the poor, and shows how intellectual property rights can be more democratically defined.
'Well-written, vigorously argued and beautifully clear.'
Journal of Public Administration
'A compelling read.'
International Journal of Law and Information Technology
'The book provides an overview of how international property rules have been quietly redrawn in the past 20 years. An interesting point for the sector is the call for broader coalitions to be formed to challenge such measures.'
Third Sector
'Information Feudalism succeeds where other works with similar goals fail. It presents a factually based analysis of the situation of the existing regime of international protection of ownership that requires serious attention.'
International Journal of Law and Information Technology
'A thick, detailed and meticulously-researched narrative on how and why a significant policy change came to be made, including important insights into the perspectives of key actors and bodies. This book is to be warmly welcomed.'
Journal of Public Administration
CONTENTS
1 Introduction: Why Information Feudalism'?
The Risks
Health-Hell in Africa
Why Sign TRIPS?
Efficiency
Freedom, Democracy and Intellectual Property
Overview. 2 Piracy: Cultural Trespassers
'A pyrate and a rover on the sea'
Intellectual Property Piracy
A Little Intellectual Property History. 3 The Knowledge Game: Knowledge Profits
Laboratories of Knowledge
Patent Locks on Public Goods
Patent Locksmiths - the Patent Profession
Global Knowledge Cartels
The Knowledge Game
The Changing Knowledge Game. 4 Stealing from the Mind: Messages
Last Rites
The Problems
Pfizer's World of Ideas
Getting on Committees. 5 The Illusion of Sovereignty: Sovereign Poverty
Most wanted
The Caribbean. 6 The Bilaterals: The Trade Defence Initiative
The US Generalized System of Preferences
Section 301
Designers, Lobbyists and Petitioners
Pinocchio's Nose
The Wolf at the Door. 7 Agendas and Agenda-setters - The Multilateral Game: The GATT
The WIPO Talkshop
Getting Intellectual property on the Trade Agenda: the Quad and the IPC
Punta del Este
8 Persuasion and Principles Becoming a Community Standing on Principle: the 'Basic Framework' The Coalitionist Sweeping House. 9 At the Negotiating Table: Kick-off and Final Siren
Circles of Consensus
The Joy of Text
The Great Hero
'DDT'
When the Chips are Down. 10 Biogopolies: Patent Privatization
Patent Addiction
Mother Nature's Software
Patent Engineering
The University-Industrial Knowledge Complex
Hard Core Cartels. 11 Infogopolies: Private Copyright
Software Blues
Hollywood Trade Ballyhoo
'Mary had a little lamb'. 12 Democratic Property Rights: Good and Bad Property
Democratizing Intellectual Property
The puzzle of TRIPS. 13 Resisting the New Inequality The New Inequality Rethinking Piracy Reforming Patent Office Regultion Deliberation on the Council for TRIPS. 14 On the Importance of the Publicness of Knowledge: Propertyless Creativity
Protecting Private Property, Protecting Public Universities
Global Publics, Public Goods and Knowledge.
Peter Drahos and John Braithwaite are both professors in the Australian National University, Canberra, and Co-authors of Global Business Regulation.