Crucially, other than the artists receiving patronage, none of them were paid for writing their books at all.
History is filled with many authors who died young and penniless because they could not survive on their writing during their lifetimes. And that's exactly the system you're arguing for.
History is filled with many people, authors and otherwise, who died young and penniless because they could not survive on the fraction of the value of their work that was economically capturable by them personally.
> And [authors dying young and penniless]'s exactly the system you're arguing for.
Bullshit. Your system is the one that produces that (see also fanfiction authors, who I'm sure aren't true Scotsmen to you). As I said:
> > What you have there is a argument for basic income, not a argument for copyright.
Bullshit. Your system is the one that produces that (see also fanfiction authors, who I'm sure aren't true Scotsmen to you). As I said:
My system is the system that has enabled hundreds of thousands of artists and other creators to survive on their own without needing publishers or other entities to sell their work for them and pay them a pittance.
Basic income is a separate discussion. It would mean that artists wouldn't die, but it would also mean that corporations would get to exploit artists worse than they ever have before.
You really need to think of the consequences of your suggestions before you suggest altering other people's livelihoods for your own momentary convenience.
History is filled with many authors who died young and penniless because they could not survive on their writing during their lifetimes. And that's exactly the system you're arguing for.