[pp.int.general] [Cafe] levies

[Amelia Andersdotter]

On 25/03/2008, Rick Falkvinge (Piratpartiet) <rick at piratpartiet.se> wrote:
> In all this talk about levies, I have yet to see somebody answer the
>  fundamental questions:
>
>  Why is who is going to be compensated for what, and how?
>

I've answered this question at least a couple of times: the claim for
compensation would be that copyright holders have lost the right to
control distribution. This right could be argued to be economical, but
is essentially moral: the right of the artist to control the use of
his/her own work.

The how is details. License. Whatever. The reason licenses can be
accepted is because it a) leaves time to focus on shortening copyright
terms and b) probably gains some sympathies from those who have doubts
about disregarding the moral copyright arguments.

Note also that there is only ever one claim made here: the loss of
control of distribution. That is the only thing that merits
compensation so every artist gets the same amount - what's lost once
can't be lost again. Why would you need anything to be more "fair"
than that?

Carlos: The semantic difference between "strategy" and "tactics" is
that tactics win the battles, strategy wins the wars.

/amelia