The Marxists Internet Archive, a Website that hosts the works of socialist philosopher Karl Marx, has removed some of his writings from the public domain following a property rights complaint lodged by a United Kingdom-based publisher, according to a story in the New Yorker.
From the New Yorker: “For nine years, Lawrence & Wishart allowed the Marxists Internet Archive to host the copyrighted material alongside thousands of other translated texts by Marx and Engels, many of which are in the public domain. But the company recently began preparing a digital edition of the fifty-volume set for university libraries. (The e-book price has yet to be determined; a print version costs about fifteen hundred dollars.)”
Like good capitalists, the publishers at Lawrence & Wishart understand that demand for their e-books would have been undermined by the existence of a free, identical product. So, using the system of private enterprise and private property ownership Marx built his career assailing, the publishers have protected their property rights. Can you say irony?
More from the New Yorker:
After the Facebook post, writers from all over the progressive Internet expressed outrage. The Center for a Stateless Society asked, “With ‘Socialists’ Like Lawrence and Wishart, Who Needs Capitalists?” A Change.orgpetition appeared, lamenting the irony of a private publishing house claiming ownership over “the collected works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the philosophers who wrote against the monopoly of capitalism and its origin, private property, all their lives.” As of Monday, the petition had more than five thousand signatures. Several sites unaffiliated with the Archive began hosting the digitized texts in defiance of the publisher’s copyright claims. On April 25th, Lawrence & Wishart posted a response of its own to this “campaign of online abuse,” arguing that the inflamed rhetoric was a perversion of Marx’s concept of the capitalist mode of production. The Archive responded with a missive of its own, written by Walters, which, in turn, prompted yet another response from Lawrence & Wishart.
The legality of these claims is not in question. Both sides agree that Lawrence & Wishart is within its legal rights, and the Archive has already removed the offending material. (It’s not the first time its volunteers have conceded to a takedown notice, Walters told me.) For committed leftists and bemused observers, what is at stake is whether the Marxist publishing house behaved in an “uncomradely” way.
Read the full story here.
Private ownership for me but not for thee.
Some animals are more equal than others.
I’m ɡone to tell my little brotheг, that he should also visit this website
on regulaг basis to obtain upɗated from latest news.
nevertheless the issue now is… will be technique to ensure that people with ANTI DETECTOR will be always be discovered despite their own no- computer software???? plsss let me understand MessTracker is really a web based support lets you trail online/offline/invisible standing connected with just about any google messenger accounts (max. 2accounts, 3-4 months period of time record, twelve minutes scan interval)
Can any person please tell me tips on how to get rid of the pastime food list from your elgg web site along with edit the mine and also pals web page ?nternet site need. I wish to change the file format on the exhibit if commented around the photograph Fine web site this can be, There are bookmarked as their favorite it within my flock, all the best.
My spouse and i ended up being very ecstatic Albert managed to finish up his web research from the precious recommendations he obtained from your web pages. It is now and again perplexing to just find yourself offering guidance which usually some others may have been trying to sell. We acknowledge we’ve got you to appreciate for this. The entire illustrations you made, the simple site navigation, the relationships you assist to engender – it’s many excellent, and it is leading our son and our family believe that this article is entertaining, and that’s extremely pressing. Many thanks for all the pieces!