[_Microft]

Here's an interesting article about 19th century Germany when no copyright laws existed yet:

The Real Reason for Germany's Industrial Expansion?

Did Germany experience rapid industrial expansion in the 19th century due to an absence of copyright law? A German historian argues that the massive proliferation of books, and thus knowledge, laid the foundation for the country's industrial might.

Found at http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/no-copyright-l...