Re: Patents in market socialism

[boddhisatva <kbevans@xxxxxxxxx>]

                Mr. Hanly,



        Of course we can have patents.  Isn't an inventor a worker?  Doesn't
he have the right to profit from his work?  We can also have anti-trust laws
far more vigorous than those we have now (although I suppose they could only
be more vigorous).  The inventor with his patent is only one worker in the
chain it takes to get the product to market.  He's an important worker.  He
toils in obscurity and usually his work comes to nothing - or - he works at a
company like everyone else, his patent rights signed away to the greater
enterprise.


        Patents and inheritance are canards in the argument against
capitalism.  The issue is that capitalists run casinos instead of economies
and they are the house.  Socialists can run poker games, bridge games, chess
tournaments, as long as the *players* take home all the cash box.



        peace

                boddhisatva




     --- from list marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---

     ------------------