The simplest and most obvious reason is that the West paid attention to and popularized "intellectual property rights" earlier. Intellectual property, like real estate and property, is also a kind of property. Simply put, property is something that can be exchanged for money. Britain is the first country to popularize intellectual property law. People who invent patented technology or write novels and songs can apply for intellectual property rights, making them personal property protected by law. In this way, inventors can get rich benefits by selling patented technology. This move directly promoted the first and second industrial revolutions in the western world. The industrial revolution directly extended to steel warships, planes and cannons, which led to Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion. ...
In China, due to the weak awareness of intellectual property rights (even now, they don't respect their own "knowledge achievements"), the inventor invented a new product and technology, which was imitated and copied by others at once, and he could not get the due benefits from it. Over time, naturally hit everyone's enthusiasm for innovation. In fact, it is the story of three monks who have no water to drink: "Since everyone is lazy to copy, why should I invent and innovate?" I am also waiting for plagiarism. "
Many people in China have a very unhealthy idea: "Think of what you think, and you don't spend any money. There is nothing valuable." "Only those products with real physical strength or real materials are valuable."
For example, I have worked out a method to lose weight, which can be explained clearly in 200 words, but if you really do what I say, losing weight will be very effective and healthy. Then if you want to learn this method, I'll charge you 10 thousand yuan, will you? I guess many people will think that it is not cost-effective to charge me 10 thousand yuan for just saying a few words at no cost. Therefore, in order to deal with this problem, many weight-loss hospitals in China have specially compiled many strange reasons and products, such as essential oil, medicine, cupping or acupuncture. You pay 10 thousand yuan, and then I will give you these "magic" essential oils and lose weight according to my "two hundred words" method. In this way, consumers feel it's worth it, because those essential oils are really "magical" and they lose weight when used. I don't know if those essential oils actually have no effect. The real reason for losing weight is that he eats and exercises in a scientific way.
Isn't that weird? It really makes people laugh and cry.
Therefore, whether intellectual property rights are protected or not really has a very, very great impact on the innovation of the whole society.
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Of course, the backward development of science and technology in the east is not only due to intellectual property rights, but also to economy, culture, political system, way of thinking and so on. These discussions are too complicated. The above only lists the one I think is the most important.