When government disappears, it's not as if paradise will take its place. When governments are gone, other interests will take their place.

Quote by Lawrence Lessig

Topics: Lawrence Lessig Quotes

As we've seen, our constitutional system requires limits on copyright as a way to assure...

As we've seen, our constitutional system requires limits on copyright as a way to assure...

In these times, the hardest task for social or political activists is to find a...

In these times, the hardest task for social or political activists is to find a...

Monopoly controls have been the exception in free societies; they have been the rule in...

Monopoly controls have been the exception in free societies; they have been the rule in...

If the Internet teaches us anything, it is that great value comes from leaving core...

If the Internet teaches us anything, it is that great value comes from leaving core...

The real harm of term extension comes not from these famous works. The real harm...

The real harm of term extension comes not from these famous works. The real harm...

So uncritically do we accept the idea of property in culture that we don't even...

So uncritically do we accept the idea of property in culture that we don't even...

By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will...

By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will...

A free culture is not a culture without property; it is not a culture in...

A free culture is not a culture without property; it is not a culture in...

While the creative works from the 16th century can still be accessed and used by...

While the creative works from the 16th century can still be accessed and used by...

The danger in media concentration comes not from the concentration, but instead from the feudalism...

The danger in media concentration comes not from the concentration, but instead from the feudalism...

Notwithstanding the fact that the most innovative and progressive space we've seen - the Internet...

Notwithstanding the fact that the most innovative and progressive space we've seen - the Internet...

Americans have been selling this view around the world: that progress comes from perfect protection...

Americans have been selling this view around the world: that progress comes from perfect protection...

Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial...

$Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial...$

Copyrights have not expired, and will not expire, so long as Congress is free to...

Copyrights have not expired, and will not expire, so long as Congress is free to...

A culture without property, or in which creators can't get paid, is anarchy, not freedom.

A culture without property, or in which creators can't get paid, is anarchy, not freedom.

Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt.

Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt.

Now that copyrights can be just about a century long, the inability to know what...

Now that copyrights can be just about a century long, the inability to know what...

We have a massive system to regulate creativity. A massive system of lawyers regulating creativity...

We have a massive system to regulate creativity. A massive system of lawyers regulating creativity...

Believing we know what makes prosperity work, ignoring the nature of the actual prosperity all...

Believing we know what makes prosperity work, ignoring the nature of the actual prosperity all...

A free culture has been our past, but it will only be our future if...

A free culture has been our past, but it will only be our future if...