[tylerty]

Ok we should give credits to China:

- stole most techs from us/Japan/Europe

- innovated...nothing

- copied apple products down to the last screw

- prevented Google and Facebook to compete, even though they claimed to be open market to wto

As for your momentum, don't forget the trillions of state debt, the wto membership expiring this year, xi the dictator closing down news channels, billions in capital outflow

[pjmlp]

While it might be true in modern times regarding copying, Europe and US also did take a lot from them in past centuries and looking at historical documents, we didn't always pay for it.

[seanmcdirmid]

Industrial revolution started in the US by stealing IP from the UK. Heck, even writing were stolen by much of the world from its (few) inventors.

[TeMPOraL]

All of which seems to point out that the very concept of "stealing IP" (and IP in general) is ridiculous.

[seanmcdirmid]

It is definitely controversial. We need some protection, limited time ostentatious seem reasonable, or there might not be an incentive to invent.

[Noseshine]

So just like (my country) Germany. "Made in Germany" was introduced by Britain to mark inferior German copycat products.

Calling copying successful products, methods, inventions "stealing" is a very subjective statement. If you want to see what someone who doesn't "steal" can achieve look at the stories of children that provided the inspiration for the Mowgli story. A more reasonable description of not reinventing the wheel is "being smart".