Some myths about intellectual property Intellectual property is a hot-button issue these days, and for good reason. In the heat of debate, however, it can become easy for dogmatic assertions to stamp out complex truths.
Intellectual property is an ancient principle.
Intellectual property is an explicitly modern notion, having made its debut quite recently. Intellectual property is recognized worldwide. As the US's recent standoff with China demonstrates, intellectual property is not a concept which has worldwide acceptance. Indeed, a major foreign policy objective of the United States has been to force other nations to comply with its own intellectual property agenda - an unwelcome form of intellectual imperialism which is all too frequently ignored by watchdog groups. Without intellectual property, no one will produce original work.