Mtima, Lateef --- "Prologue: A social activist’s guide to intellectual property" [2015] ELECD 272; in Mtima, Lateef (ed), "Intellectual Property, Entrepreneurship and Social Justice" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015) xvii

Book Title: Intellectual Property, Entrepreneurship and Social Justice

Editor(s): Mtima, Lateef

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781783470242

Section Title: Prologue: A social activist’s guide to intellectual property

Author(s): Mtima, Lateef

Number of pages: 8

Extract:

Prologue: A social activist's guide to
intellectual property
Lateef Mtima

This book is about using intellectual property, the most valuable natural
resource of the information age, to build economic and political empow-
erment. To gain control over your intellectual property ­ the products
of your mind, talent, and cultural traditions ­ is to gain control over
resources that can give you the leverage to do business in the national and
global marketplace on a level playing field.
Although today we encounter the term almost everywhere, for most
people, "intellectual property" is still an arcane and intimidating phrase.
Many people, communities, and developing nations have highly valuable
intellectual property, but because they do not understand what they have,
or how to protect and exploit it, they do not enjoy the benefits their prop-
erty could bring. Moreover, we should know from history that even if you
possess the most valuable treasure in the world, if you do not understand
what you have, someone who does will take it away from you.
The purpose of this "IP Primer" is to de-mystify intellectual property
and provide a succinct and plain language explanation of the subject. It
has been written for the lay person ­ from the small business owner to the
social activist, from the artist to the clergyman, from the student to the
politician ­ for anyone seeking economic or social or political advance-
ment for themselves or for their community. The basic concepts and prin-
ciples of intellectual property are relatively easy to ...