Chyden Finance: profit from hypocrisy

Continuing our theme of global convergence, C|Net News reported recently, “A senior lawyer at Microsoft is calling for the creation of a global patent system to make it easier and faster for corporations to enforce their intellectual property rights around the world.”

Given the existence of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the fact that multinational corporations — pretty much by definition, the wealthiest and most powerful organizations on earth, with the exception of a handful of fading-empire governments — own the majority of patents issued, it is not unreasonable to expect a single patent regime to be established worldwide by treaty.

Whether this will favor the interests of multinationals, or if government agents of middle-income nations assert the interests of The Other 5.5 Billion remains to be seen.

Although we will end up with one accounting standard, one currency, one regulatory regime, and one so-called intellectual property regime, in all likelihood, the precise structure of each remains to be seen. This could be a case of ‘be very, very careful what you wish for’ on the parts of the managers of multinational corporations.

Lost on most individuals in Western Europe and in the northern half of the Western Hemisphere is the fact that ‘intellectual property’ is an artifact of European cultural norms. Throughout most of the world, and among the vast majority of the human individuals alive, copying what works is as normal as breathing.

Multinational corporations could find that they have succeeded in establishing a one-world intellectual property regime that works against their monopoly rent seeking.

Although they are wealthy and powerful, they also are vastly outnumbered.

Invest accordingly.

CWE