Research on Copyright Systems in Western Countries

Author: Wu Handong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-12-01
Features: The emergence of the copyright system stems from the evolution of the concept of rights. According to research by anthropological historians, the notion of ownership of intellectual works was recognized in various forms centuries before the invention of the printing press. In the earliest historical periods, some form of "literary property" concept already existed to a certain extent. [2] It is said that during ancient Greece and Rome, intellectual labor was already linked to economic interests. Pythagoras, Cicero, and others were paid for their speeches or writings. [3] While plagiarism was not legally sanctioned, it was condemned as a shameful act. According to the Encyclop?dia Britannica, the term "plagiarism" was coined by the famous Roman satirist Martial in the 1st century AD. He once compared his own poetry to freed slaves, while those who stole his verses were called deceivers. During this period, although people had become aware of the rights of authors, literary theft was merely condemned morally and did not result in legal consequences. The earliest call for the state to enforce protection for copyright can be traced back to the 6th century. It is said that during a visit to his teacher, the abbot Finian, the religious follower Columba copied Finian's work, the Psalter. Finian was furious and demanded that Columba return the manuscript, but Columba refused. The two took their dispute to the king for judgment. The king ruled in favor of protecting the author's rights: "A calf belongs to its mother cow, just as the manuscript belongs to the original work." [4] This principle of "a calf belongs to its mother cow" was repeatedly cited by later advocates of copyright.