I'm not convinced that un-restricting works would benefit society. If Disney gets to keep copyright on Snow White forever, about a third of the movie's profit will continue to be paid in tax.
So the choice is between (a) letting 7-year-olds everywhere watch Snow White, and (b) having more money to pay for roads, schools and cancer research. Is option (a) necessarily better?
If Disney gets to keep copyright on Snow White forever, about a third of the movie's profit will continue to be paid in tax.
Do you have any evidence to counteract the common wisdom that movies rarely actually make any money on paper?
So the choice is between (a) letting 7-year-olds everywhere watch Snow White, and (b) having more money to pay for roads, schools and cancer research. Is option (a) necessarily better?
Letting Disney sell Snow White doesn't magically create money from nothing. The money that isn't spent by consumers on Snow White will be spent on something else, which will eventually be taxed, funding roads, schools, and cancer research.
So the choice is between (a) letting 7-year-olds everywhere watch Snow White, and (b) having more money to pay for roads, schools and cancer research. Is option (a) necessarily better?