[hilbert42]

"...the US didn't recognise foreign copyrights until the 1890s."

That's very true, and it's only in recent decades that the US has been a signatory to the Berne Convention, however that's not true for patents. In the late 1800s New Britain, Connecticut was known as the Patent Capital of the world because so many patents were issued to those in the vicinity.

BTW, you're right about other countries ignoring copyright but I only mentioned China because of its huge impact, essentially it's the quintessential example.

[freeflight]

> In the late 1800s New Britain, Connecticut was known as the Patent Capital of the world because so many patents were issued to those in the vicinity.

Which probably had more to do with the US officially endorsing patent theft and even paying out premiums to people who brought them stolen technology/knowledge.

Not because the US was so respecting of other countries patents, quite the opposite was actually the case [0].

[0] https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news...

[kragen]

It's even more true for patents: not only did the US not enforce foreign patents before the 01890s, it didn't enforce them after the 01890s either, and still doesn't today. Neither do any other countries. The PCT doesn't work like the Berne Convention.

[hilbert42]

Those who've signed it are supposedly bound by its framework. Alternatively, they wheel the fact out when it suits them/it's to their advantage in trade negotiations, etc.

[kragen]

Yes, and PCT compliance is actually fairly common, but its framework does not commit them to enforce foreign patents; rather the contrary.