"...the restrictions did nothing to piracy, people could still buy or acquire the goods somehow."
China today is the Spain of the 16th century.
In the 15th century Spain was a super power. The printing press was invented. Luther, the first media evangelist, frightened the Roman Catholic Church. As part of the inquisition, Spain suppressed the press. As a result, while common people in Protestant countries learned to read and changed the way they produced things, inventing amongst other things, capitalism, Spanish common people did not. Her economy was wreaked. Spain is only now recovering from the suppression of the press.
Some historians will point out that Spain had an active black market, so people could get whatever books they wanted easily. However, to benefit from the black market you have to have learned to read and innovation comes up from the bottom. Literate weavers and felt makers invented capitalism, not dukes, counts, and baronets.
In an information revolution, the context with the freest information wins. Success - economic, cultural, military or political - will go to the most innovative context and innovation comes from information freedom. This is as true today as it was in the printing press information revolution.
SOPA is the beginning of our road to becoming Spain.
China today is the Spain of the 16th century.
In the 15th century Spain was a super power. The printing press was invented. Luther, the first media evangelist, frightened the Roman Catholic Church. As part of the inquisition, Spain suppressed the press. As a result, while common people in Protestant countries learned to read and changed the way they produced things, inventing amongst other things, capitalism, Spanish common people did not. Her economy was wreaked. Spain is only now recovering from the suppression of the press.
Some historians will point out that Spain had an active black market, so people could get whatever books they wanted easily. However, to benefit from the black market you have to have learned to read and innovation comes up from the bottom. Literate weavers and felt makers invented capitalism, not dukes, counts, and baronets.
In an information revolution, the context with the freest information wins. Success - economic, cultural, military or political - will go to the most innovative context and innovation comes from information freedom. This is as true today as it was in the printing press information revolution.
SOPA is the beginning of our road to becoming Spain.