Global Societies Journal

This essay examines and criticizes copyright law as it now functions in Western society. I argue that copyright law only serves corporate interests and functions to limit the development of and use of cultural symbols and texts. In effect, this eliminates the use of cultural texts by marginalized groups. Furthermore, I bring to light several case studies that suggest copyright law does not only hinder the production of cultural material, but is not necessary to facilitate a healthy environment for the production and distribution of cultural material within a given society. Conversely, I suggest that by way of eliminating copyright law altogether, we may expedite a process I call the "democratization of cultural production and exchange". By allowing citizen consumers of cultural products, using new digital technologies, to assign cultural value to cultural texts without the politics and economic injustices that arise from the use and abuse of copyright law, we may have a richer and ultimately more economically sound system by which cultural texts can be generated and shared. In order to defend against those who have similar notions about copyright law as I, but call for the implementation of a limited copyright law, I explain how communities and individual artists can and indeed do thrive while entirely disregarding copyright law. This paper should motivate future scholars to examine in particular the compatibility of outdated copyright law with digital technologies and web-based services. It is suggested through my initial research that these services can and will replace the function of rigid copyright law to help facilitate and incentivize a democratized and streamlined system of cultural production and exchange.