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Full-Text Articles in Law
On Commodifying Intangibles, Wendy J. Gordon, Sam Postbrief
On Commodifying Intangibles, Wendy J. Gordon, Sam Postbrief
Faculty Scholarship
It was made clear long ago that property and value are different things. Value exists. It is a fact. It can arise from law, and much of law aims at creating more value in the world. But value can also arise in spite of law (consider, for example, the fortunes that bootleggers made during the Roaring Twenties), or in law's interstices. When a particular value arises despite a lack of explicit legal protection, its possessors often ask courts or legislatures to give them a legal entitlement to preserve and further exploit that value. Typically the holders demand (1) a liberty …
Intellectual Property As Price Discrimination: Implications For Contract, Wendy J. Gordon
Intellectual Property As Price Discrimination: Implications For Contract, Wendy J. Gordon
Faculty Scholarship
As people become enamored with the possible benefits of allowing price discrimination in contracts for intellectual goods, they should realize that traditional intellectual property law works by fostering price discrimination among customers. This simple fact has implications for federal pre-emption, and is a reminder of the complexity of the economic issues involved. Increasing a seller's ability to price discriminate will often involve increasing his monopoly power, with dubious welfare effects.