Piece on NPR about the book Common as Air: Revolution, Art, and Ownership.
Excerpt: Some people believe that not only are current copyright laws too stringent, but that the assumptions the current laws are based on are artificial, illogical and outdated.
Among them is Lewis Hyde, a professor of art and politics who has studied these issues for years. In his new book Common As Air, Hyde says he’s suspicious of the concept of “intellectual property” to begin with, calling it “historically strange.” Hyde backs it up with an impressive amount of research; he spends a significant amount of time reflecting on the Founding Fathers, who came up with America’s initial copyright laws.
Hyde is a contrarian, but he’s not a scorched-earth opponent of all copyright laws.
see also:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/books/review/Darnton-t.html?ref=books