You may want to take a look at <i>Against Intellectual Monopoly</i>.<p><a href="http://levine.sscnet.ucla.edu/general/intellectual/againstfinal.htm" rel="nofollow">http://levine.sscnet.ucla.edu/general/intellectual/againstfi...</a><p>The thesis is that all patent and copyright, contrary to popular belief, does not actually increase innovation.<p>I have mentioned this book on several occasions but it seem that hackers continue to remain ignorant of books like this.