The system of copyrights was developed in the 18th century by the bourgeoisie of Western countries in order to protect their private property. Over the past two centuries and more the concept has been developed, and now not only covers tangible works such as books and films, but also extends into the intangible "digital" domain.
著作權是十八世紀西方國家資產階級為保護他們私有財產而設計出來的制度，二百多年來從書籍、影像等有形物，延伸到無形的「數位」領域。