Ridley presents an inspiring view of history, because we are not merely the passive recipients of thousands of years of innovations. We can contribute to this endless chain of progress, if we choose.
In his book, he observes that patents impede innovation:
“the evidence clearly shows that while intellectual property helps a little, it also hinders, and the net effect is to discourage innovation. … there is no evidence that there is less innovation in areas unprotected by patents. Lindsey and Teles list the various organizational innovations that have happened in companies, unpatented, widely copied and yet enthusiastically invented: the multidivisional corporation, the R&D department, the department store, the chain store, franchising, statistical process control, just-in-time inventory management. Likewise none of the following technologies were patented in any effective way: automatic transmission, power steering, ballpoint pens, cellophane, gyrocompasses, jet engines, magnetic recording, safety razors and zippers. … “there is just no evidence from geography and history that patents are helpful, let alone necessary, in encouraging innovation. … “A study by Josh Lerner of 177 cases of strengthened patent policy in sixty countries over more than a century found that ‘these policy changes did not spur innovation’. In Japan another study found that the strengthening of patent protection increased neither research spending nor innovation. In Canada a study found that firms which use the patent process intensively were no more likely to innovate.”
It seems Edison wasn't the "only" inventor of all three of his most famous inventions- the light bulb, the phonograph and the motion picture camera. But of the various "inventors", he prospered the most financially by claiming the patents and mass-producing the items.
In his book, he observes that patents impede innovation:
“the evidence clearly shows that while intellectual property helps a little, it also hinders, and the net effect is to discourage innovation. … there is no evidence that there is less innovation in areas unprotected by patents. Lindsey and Teles list the various organizational innovations that have happened in companies, unpatented, widely copied and yet enthusiastically invented: the multidivisional corporation, the R&D department, the department store, the chain store, franchising, statistical process control, just-in-time inventory management. Likewise none of the following technologies were patented in any effective way: automatic transmission, power steering, ballpoint pens, cellophane, gyrocompasses, jet engines, magnetic recording, safety razors and zippers. … “there is just no evidence from geography and history that patents are helpful, let alone necessary, in encouraging innovation. … “A study by Josh Lerner of 177 cases of strengthened patent policy in sixty countries over more than a century found that ‘these policy changes did not spur innovation’. In Japan another study found that the strengthening of patent protection increased neither research spending nor innovation. In Canada a study found that firms which use the patent process intensively were no more likely to innovate.”
It seems Edison wasn't the "only" inventor of all three of his most famous inventions- the light bulb, the phonograph and the motion picture camera. But of the various "inventors", he prospered the most financially by claiming the patents and mass-producing the items.