Though I really shouldn't be blogging, I can't help it (this might provide a hint as to why).
Currently, I am evaluating tons of WIPO papers from the first round of the Development Agenda debate (2005) for my master's thesis. Some (actually most) of these have some amazing soundbites. If you think about them for a minute, they make your head spin with the level of ignorance, bad faith and cynicism that's behind them.
So I decided to start a little series for the next few days, supplying you, my faithful readers, with fine examples of how caringly the governments of this world dedicate their attention to a balanced system of intellectual monopoly powers (sometimes erroneously called "intellectual property").
The first one for today is from Mexico in April 2005.
The lack of knowledge of the system on the part of the population is
commonly observed and, in some cases, the population considers the
failure to observe the system or infringements thereof as conduct which
cannot be sanctioned or is socially acceptable; for this sector the
benefits derived from the intellectual property system and the use of
the system as a development factor are completely alien. Lack of
awareness of the system has become a cause of inefficiency as well as an
obstacle to development.
The sanction of conduct which infringes intellectual property is of no use,
if it is not complemented by appropriate dissemination and understanding of
the system. In addition, ignorance and the failure to observe the system lead
to the formation of criminal groups, on occasions of a cross border nature and
linked to other unlawful activities such as money laundering.
In their entire proposal, Mexico totally ignores that monopolies on knowledge are not the natural state of affairs. Instead, they propose that WIPO should aggressively indoctrinate the populations of developing countries, to foster their belief in a Most Holy IMP system.
The link to organised crime is especially elegant.
