Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach

E.I.P.R. 197 The dominant justification for intellectual property rights at least in the West and international treaties is utilitarian, and more precisely based on the Chicago School of Law and Economics (first section). However, this school of thought is both flawed and ideological (second section...

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Main Authors: Derclaye, Estelle, Taylor, Tim
Format: Article
Published: Sweet & Maxwell 2015
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29177/
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author Derclaye, Estelle
Taylor, Tim
author_facet Derclaye, Estelle
Taylor, Tim
author_sort Derclaye, Estelle
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description E.I.P.R. 197 The dominant justification for intellectual property rights at least in the West and international treaties is utilitarian, and more precisely based on the Chicago School of Law and Economics (first section). However, this school of thought is both flawed and ideological (second section). Basing protection solely on the economic aspect of utility (i.e. income) has been increasingly challenged in recent years. We thus propose that intellectual property rights should be justified using a notion of utility based directly upon well-being, rather than using income as a proxy. We outline a theory-neutral approach to well-being that could be employed for this purpose (third section). Our proposal, like any and every other legal programme, cannot avoid being ideological (fourth section) but it avoids the flaws of the Law and Economics approach. It is also not paternalistic (fifth section).
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spelling nottingham-291772020-05-04T20:08:25Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29177/ Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach Derclaye, Estelle Taylor, Tim E.I.P.R. 197 The dominant justification for intellectual property rights at least in the West and international treaties is utilitarian, and more precisely based on the Chicago School of Law and Economics (first section). However, this school of thought is both flawed and ideological (second section). Basing protection solely on the economic aspect of utility (i.e. income) has been increasingly challenged in recent years. We thus propose that intellectual property rights should be justified using a notion of utility based directly upon well-being, rather than using income as a proxy. We outline a theory-neutral approach to well-being that could be employed for this purpose (third section). Our proposal, like any and every other legal programme, cannot avoid being ideological (fourth section) but it avoids the flaws of the Law and Economics approach. It is also not paternalistic (fifth section). Sweet & Maxwell 2015-06 Article PeerReviewed Derclaye, Estelle and Taylor, Tim (2015) Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach. European Intellectual Property Review, 37 (4). pp. 197-209. ISSN 0142-0461 http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/catalogue/productdetails.aspx?productid=7061&recordid=460
spellingShingle Derclaye, Estelle
Taylor, Tim
Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title_full Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title_fullStr Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title_full_unstemmed Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title_short Happy IP: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
title_sort happy ip: replacing the law and economics justification for intellectual property rights with a well-being approach
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29177/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29177/