Here is a very similar question on patents.stackexchange.com: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;patents.stackexchange.com&#x2F;questions&#x2F;9994&#x2F;are-patents-granted-to-the-us-government-public-domain" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;patents.stackexchange.com&#x2F;questions&#x2F;9994&#x2F;are-patents-...</a><p>Basically, if there&#x27;s a significant cost to entry, and if the idea were open to anyone, it would discourage anyone from using the patent. With patent licensing there&#x27;s a barrier to entry that gives a measure of exclusivity that is an additional motivation to anyone taking the idea to market.<p>I&#x27;m not really sure that I agree that governments should own and selectively sell ideas, even if for a short time but I can see the logic in that argument.