ABSTRACT
This chapter will examine intellectual property (IP) and copyright, terms that acquire their meaning from the social, political, and legal contexts in which they arise. They necessarily entail a legal perspective because, as legal concepts and definitions, they result in legal processes, procedures, and consequences. However, legality itself is a function of political interaction and activities. And both politics and law reflect the social conditions from which they evolve. So while the legal aspects of IP and copyright are important, they are not among the most fundamental social rights; nor are they fixed or permanent. Moreover, as we shall see later, DRM systems may prevent consumers and the general public from the ability to exercise some of their fundamental social rights at all.
