The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

Chapter 31 • Whose Brilliant Idea? 183
the court says I can, because Charlie was the fi rst to fi le and there’s
no place for latecomers. I own it for seventeen years.”
“Seventeen years? Why seventeen years?” asked Jonathan.
“Who knows?” he chuckled. “Magic number, I guess.”
“But if you own the use of an idea, then why does it end after
seventeen years? Do you lose all your property after seventeen
years?”
“Hmmm.” George paused and took up his coffee again. He began
to stir it pensively. “Good question. There’s usually no time limit on
property ownership, unless the Council takes it for a higher social
purpose. Maybe there’s a higher social purpose. Wait a moment.”
He raised his hand and Number Two promptly came running from
his corner of the room. This puppy of a man practically bounced to
George’s side.
“What can I do for you, sir?”
“Number Two, tell this young friend of mine why I can’t own a
letter patent for more than seventeen years.”
“Yes, sir. Well, it’s like this. In ancient times the letter patent
simply gave royal monopolies to friends of the monarch. Today,
however, the function of a letter patent,” said Number Two in
a droning monotone “is to motivate inventors who, otherwise,
wouldn’t have any reason to invent useful things or to reveal
their secrets. A century ago, a superstitious inventor persuaded the
Council of Lords that six months less than two and a half seven-year
apprenticeships allowed suffi cient monopoly privileges to motivate
inventors.”
“Please correct me if I’m mistaken,” said Jonathan, straining to
understand. “You say that inventors are motivated solely by a desire
to get rich by stopping others from using ideas?”
George and Number Two looked blankly at each other. George
replied, “What other motive could there be?”
Jonathan found their lack of imagination a little depressing. “So
every maker of sharpmetalonastick must pay you?”
“Either that or I produce them myself – a few at a time and at
great expense,” said George.
Number Two laughed nervously, glancing sideways at George.
“Ahem, well that’s still uncertain, sir. We have staff looking