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As It Happens

Capitalists of the world unite? British publisher defends copyright of Marx's books

Despite their argument for common ownership, the works of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels are copyrighted. And now Lawrence & Wishart, a self-described "independent radical" publisher that holds the copyright to the 50-volume Marx/Engels Collected Works, is going to enforce that ownership, forcing websites to remove material from the books. But some people feel that's, well, un-Marxist of them....
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As It Happens5:22Marx Book Publisher

Despite their argument for common ownership, the works of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels are copyrighted. And now Lawrence & Wishart, a self-described "independent radical" publisher that holds the copyright to the 50-volume Marx/Engels Collected Works, is going to enforce that ownership, forcing websites to remove material from the books. But some people feel that's, well, un-Marxist of them.

"Everybody I've spoken to who works in publishing has been very supportive, because they understand about copyrights," Sally Davison, managing editor of Lawrence & Wishart Publishing, tells Carol. "But on the other hand, there obviously has been a bit of an orchestrated campaign online to put a different point of view...that hasn't been particularly nice to have to put up with."

Some socialist radicals are even calling Lawrence & Wishart a 'tool of the capitalist system.'

Hear Carol's full interview with Ms. Davison by clicking the "Listen" button above.

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