[account42]

How would you create the Encyclopædia Britannica locally? Who would invest the massive amount of money required to make an encyclopedia, especially one like that, without expecting a return?

People who want to see it created and are able to rally other people to help them of course.

That's not to say that no copyright means no way to fund big projects, you just have to collect those funds up front or rely on generosity - both of which are less likely to succeed because copyright makes the result into something you "own" rather than society and people are less inclined to fund your own private enrichment.