I find it weird that copyright gets stretched back into the past when nations become involved (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 months ago by keepcarrot@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

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It always seems to get deployed as a "The West are the only true innovators" and ignored if its like... The Islamic golden age or whatever. Also like some Arabian merchant couldn't have seen a steam train and gone "Oh, that's a good idea", it required colonialism to get ideas like plumbing etc. all over the world.

Bleh

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[-] queermunist@lemmy.ml 25 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Even as far back as the Watt steam engine there was such a broad patent that it effectively covered all steam engines apart from the inefficient Newcomen engine. Anyone who made a steam engine could and would be sued for infringing on the patent.

The capitalist West gets to develop itself through innovation and then yanks up the fucking ladder so no one else can follow them without paying exorbitant licensing fees.