Introduction to Expropriation by Law

In recent years, the strengthening of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and their extension to new objects has been the subject of much criticism, which has highlighted the problems of the monopolization of certain markets; for example, patent-protected drugs or diagnostic tests carry soaring price tags. Our book offers a critical reflection on the attribution of IPRs between those who design products and those who attain them through their work. In the introduction, we present this problematic and how it fits into a body of research that has been examining the economic and social validity of these rights and their definition by legal professionals investing in the highly remunerative intellectual property market. The problematic and methodology are presented in detail. Although the focus is on patent rights, we show how our analysis applies to all IPRs, in particular to trademarks and copyright, the economic stakes of which have become increasingly important with the development of creative and cultural industries following an entrepreneurial logic.