ABSTRACT
Speaking very roughly, countries with advanced economies tend to be those displaying intellectual property protection systems in which the public has a basic degree of confidence. Yet for countries striving to develop economically, the concept of intellectual property protection appears to present a threat for some minds. As is well known, in 1986, at the urging of the United States and other developed countries, the topic of intellectual property protection in developing countries was raised as an issue in the context of the international trading system. The United States Department of State, in response to a statutory mandate, produced its own catalogue of intellectual property deficiencies in early 1989. Methodologies for examining the question of the infrastructural role which intellectual property protection plays in Third World economic development need to be fashioned. The concept of infrastructure has proven useful in examining economic development.
