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I agree that each of these cases are showing a problem, but for one it is not certain whether an extended copyright will necessarily solve the problem, neither is it certain whether a world with shorter copyright necessarily will not be able to find ways to address the problems Helprin mentions. His ideas are stemming from a view on society where there is just the individual (who needs protection of his copyright) and the large, rather undefined general public and nation state. That, I think, is a world view from an old world. The current world is changing to a new world, just like the information technology changes so radically, copyrights may no longer be tenable, even if Helprin is right.
More EconTalk:
Jimmy Wales on Wikipedia,
New Deal and War Economy,
The Depression,
Wildlife, Property and Poverty.
A competing view on copyrights:
James Boyle.