Oct 27, 2006 the authors thank michele boldrin and david levine and also their own colleague, david mustard, for helpful comments. Intellectual property, levine s working paper archive 786969000000000990, david k. All economists, lawyers, judges, and policymakers should read this book. Quantifying the value of open source hardware development. Levine intellectual property patents and s have become controversial.
Intellectual property and the efficient allocation of social surplus from creation author s. Whether it is books or widgets, whether involving intellectual property or physical, virtually any product can be profitable if some third party is made to bear the expense of producing it. In their recent book, against intellectual monopoly, michele boldrin and david levine conclude that patents and s are not necessary to provide protection for either innovation or creative expression and should be eliminated. When there are many firms competing for monopoly rents, and mar ket conditions are such that rents can be ob tained even with some degree of competition.
Hoyt distinguished professor of economics in arts and sciences at washington university in st louis. Against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin goodreads. Michele boldrin is an italian economist and author whose research interests include business cycle fluctuations, economic growth, technological progress and intellectual property. I am not finished with it yet but it is so strange, powerful and complex that i will talk about it in two parts. Against intellectual monopoly michele boldrin, david k. In their recent book, against intellectual monopoly, michele boldrin and david levine conclude that patents and s. Several writers, stephan kinsella most notably among them, have argued that patents and s should not form part of a proper libertarian law. Boldrin and levine argue that this mechanism also could work if other publishers could freely copy the book because those publishers would pay my publisher a lot in order to get their hands on early. This book has broad coverage of both s and patents and is designed for a general audience, focusing on simple examples. Michele boldrin is professor of economics and chair of the department at washington university in st louis.
Daron acemoglu and james robinsons why nations fail is grand history in the style of jared diamond. Jun 14, 2019 against intellectual monopoly socalled intellectual property is in fact an intellectual monopoly that hinders rather than michele boldrin and david k. As the title implies, they characterize all ip as a stategranted monopoly, which can be criticized on both moral and utilitarian grounds. As of this writing, she has had one book per year published in the series ever since. Jul 27, 2009 michele boldrin and david levine are two wellknown economists who recently published against intellectual monopoly, which is a part of our techdirt book club which gives you against monopoly. In fact, empirical evidence shows that ip does not promote innovation and that, unlike ordinary property, it is detrimental to the social good. Boldrin argues that and patent are used by the politically powerful to maintain monopoly profits. If inventors can profit by getting a patent, wont that encourage people to innovate. The case against intellectual property, by boldrin and levine, argues on economic grounds that authors can make money by selling their work even in a world where everyone can copy youve probably heard the superficial argument that if the program is free, you will only sell one copy.
He argues that the incentive effects that have been used to justify. Previously, he has been on the faculty of the university of chicago, ucla, northwestern, carlos iii, and the universities of pennsylvania and minnesota. With piracy and struggles over intellectual property in the news daily, it is time to wonder about this issue, its relationship to freedom, property rights, and efficiency. He is a fellow of the econometric society and a research fellow. Working papers articles chapters books working papers. He moved to mestrevenezia at the age of ten, where he attended the liceo giordano bruno and the universita ca foscari, graduating magna cum laude in economics in july 1982. Cambridge core industrial economics against intellectual monopoly by michele michele boldrin, university of minnesota, david k. Against intellectual monopoly mises store mises institute. Oct 10, 2012 6 so, while there are plenty of reasonable ways to improve the patent system, boldrin and levine say abolition is the best option. The case against intellectual property by michele boldrin. The case against intellectual property, by boldrin and levine, argues on economic grounds that authors can make money by selling their work even in a world where everyone can copy. One of the most important recent advances in libertarian theory has come in the field of intellectual property.
He is a fellow of the econometric society and a research fellow at the centre for economic policy research london and at fedea madrid. Mar 04, 2010 boldrin and levine, highly respected economic theorists, have produced a lively and readable book for the intelligent layman. The case against patents michele boldrin and david k. Acemoglu and robinsons why nations fail 2012 is a grand history in the style of diamond 1997 or mcneil 1963. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences 102 4. Against intellectual monopoly boldrin, michele levine. Against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin, david k. He currently teaches at washington university in st. Against intellectual monopoly is a relentless, pounding, take no prisoners attack on patent and law. George selgin, department of economics, university of georgia terry college of business, athens, ga 30602, u. Like those books, this book is exceptionally fun to read and full of interesting historical examples and provocative. Against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin overdrive.
The authors contend that intellectual property rights do not generally promote social welfare, that intellectual property protection generates perverse distributional outcomes, and that firms do. Intellectual property boldrin major reference works. I had mentioned at the end that there was also a book, entitled against intellectual monopoly. Michele boldrin and david levine, two wellknown economists, argue that. Against intellectual monopoly david levines economic. Boldrin and levine dont deny this, but they show that this isnt the full story.
Levine and salvatore modica acemoglu and robinsons why nations fail 2012 is a grand history in the style of diamond 1997 or mcneil 1963. The profit mechanism differs from the one given by boldrin and levine. Michele boldrin and david levine, on the other hand, boldly declare in their recent work against intellectual monopoly that they have arrived at. The case against patents by michele boldrin and david k. Last october i published a post about the article the case against patents by michele boldrin and david k. In it, they challenge conventional wisdom about patents and argue that we would be better off without them. They have written a book that is likely to rock your world, as it has mine. Along with his colleague and coauthor david levine, he was part of the. The case against patents american economic association. Against intellectual monopoly, by michele boldrin mises. The slippery slope of concession by hirshleifer, jack.
Proponents argue that ip is just like ordinary property in houses and cars. Feb 20, 2003 when i sell a book to a publisher, the publisher makes a guess as to what it will be worth to print copies of my book, and pays me accordingly. Introduction the case against patents can be summarized briefly. Tucker interviews michele boldrin, co author with david k. Michele boldrin and david levine, two wellknown economists, argue that patents and s arent needed for economic innovation. The two sides of the contemporary debate over intellectual property agree that the law needs to strike a balance between providing sufficient incentive for creation and the freedom to make use of existing ideas. The book will open a fresh debate on the policy on intellectual property protection. Brock, university of wisconsin, madison boldrin and levine, highly respected economic theorists, have produced a lively and readable book for the intelligent layman. Boldrin and levine have dramatically increased that burden for those who enjoy intellectual monopoly. He is the author of four books, including against intellectual monopoly with david. Michele boldrin was born in padova, italy, in 1956.
Michele boldrin and david levine are two wellknown economists who recently published against intellectual monopoly, which is a part of our techdirt. Levine a more detailed version of this post can be found here. Michele boldrin author of against intellectual monopoly. The case against patents can be summarized briefly. Jan 23, 2014 by michele boldrin, salvatore modica and david k. In fact, the boldrinlevine proposition has the feel of an intellectual swindle, in which the conclusion follows from some unrealistic assumptions that are well hidden. The case against intellectual property michele boldrin. Against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin author david k. We witness teenagers being sued for pirating music and we observe aids patients in africa dying due to lack of ability to pay for drugs that are high priced to satisfy patent holders. It joins lessigs free culture and hellers the gridlock economy as an instant classic and a mustread on these issues many people argue that the patent system has gone wrong in recent years, boldrin and levine argue that the patent system was rotten from the start. Published in volume 27, issue 1, pages 322 of journal of economic perspectives, winter 20, abstract. Boldrin and levine, highly respected economic theorists, have produced a lively and readable book for the intelligent layman. Louis talks with econtalk host russ roberts about intellectual property and boldrin s book, cowritten with david levine, against intellectual monopoly.
Read against intellectual monopoly cambridge university press, 2008 by michele boldrin and david levine, two daring professors of economics at washington university in st. Against intellectual property article in constitutional political economy 201. It is common to argue that intellectual property in the form of and patent is necessary for the innovation and creation of ideas and inventions such as machines, drugs, computer software, books, music, literature and movies. Michele boldrin against intellectual monopoly michele boldrin against intellectual monopoly an interview with michele boldrin jeffrey a. Against intellectual monopoly socalled intellectual property is in fact an intellectual monopoly that hinders rather than michele boldrin and david k. The authors end the paper with a slew of suggestions for. Jul 07, 2008 last october i published a post about the article the case against patents by michele boldrin and david k. Boldrin and levine hold a lot of creative work inspired by selfactualization and firstmover advantages. Boldrin and levine examine data from total factor productivity in crossnational studies and show that the astounding increase in patents in the 1990s rising more than threefold from a stable rate in previous decades has had no effect on increases in prosperity and innovation. He and levine are known for opposing the 2009 us stimulus bill. See also kremer 1998 on the use of patent rights in light of distortions generated in the pharmaceutical industry, and the boldrin and levine 2002 suggestions to restrict or eliminate patent. Below is a list of laura levines books in order of when they were originally published. We witness teenagers being sued for pirating music and we observe aids, isbn 9780521879286.
A standard model used to explain why patents might be useful implicitly assumes that ideas are transmitted instantly at zero cost. Boldrin and levine, the case against intellectual property by richard stallman. Michele boldrin is the author of against intellectual monopoly 4. Professor levines current research interests include the study of intellectual property and endogenous growth in dynamic general equilibrium. This is the central question in against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin and david levine. When both parties believe that they are the probable winner, and the winner captures a positive surplus, conflict is the obvious consequence. Evidence from the movies by kailung hui and ivan p. Aug 03, 2019 against intellectual monopoly socalled intellectual property is in fact an intellectual monopoly that hinders rather than michele boldrin and david k. Louis talks with econtalk host russ roberts about intellectual property and boldrins book, cowritten with david levine, against intellectual monopoly. Like those books, this book is exceptionally fun to read and full of interesting historical examples and provocative ideas. They challenge the notion of the individual creator working for all hours of the night to solve a big problem with financial incentives at the forefront of his or her mind. In fact intellectual property is a government grant of a costly and dangerous private monopoly over ideas. This is one such book, and it is destined to be a classic in the economics literature.
They have published many award winning and nominated books, as well as a number of very well known and respected authors including j. Against intellectual monopoly david levines economic and. Laura levines first novel was this pen for hire, published in 2002. In boldrin and levine 2001 we develop a more general version of this argument. Levine michele boldrin author michele boldrin is joseph g. Economist michele boldrin biography, theories and books. They publish hardcover literary fiction and nonfiction for children and teenagers and discerning adults. Intellectual property patents and s have become controversial. May 18, 2009 michele boldrin of washington university in st. Such is the case with against intellectual monopoly by michele boldrin and david levine, two daring professors of economics at washington university in st. This book argues that patents and s are not necessary for. Against intellectual monopoly, by michele boldrin and david levine, is a coherent, wellwritten, and persuasive argument against strong forms of government protection of intellectual property rights. Aug 12, 2008 after all, what boldrin and levine are really saying is that intellectual monopoly would exist even without intellectual property law.
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