Why does Amazon have more books from the 1880s than the 1980s? Blame copyright
Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution spells out the Enumerated Powers of Congress:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enumerated_powers" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enumerated_powers</a><p>Therein lies the Copyright Clause:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Clause" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Clause</a><p>Which states:<p><i>To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.</i><p>The key phrase here is "securing for limited Times".  Limited.<p>For all intents and purposes, we have made copyright unlimited.  If you disagree, ask yourself...  when Mickey Mouse is up for the public domain again in 6 years do you really believe it won't be extended again?  As the article states, the original copyright term was 14 years in the Copyright Act of 1790 unless the copyright holder was still alive after 14 years in which case they could renew for another 14 years:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Act_of_1790" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Act_of_1790</a><p>As it stands now, it's until the life of the author + 70 years.  Although it's hard to say that with a straight face since anytime Mickey Mouse has been up for public domain it has gotten extended and will likely continue to be extended.<p>Biggest irony?  Many of Disney's biggest works are based on public domain works.  Some of them would not have been in the public domain had copyright been as long as Disney has made it to protect their own characters from going into the public domain.