EconTalk Archives, 2009
EconTalk Archives, 2009
EconTalk: Russ Roberts, Library of Economics and Liberty
Heller on Gridlock and the Tragedy of the Anticommons
58 minutes Posted Nov 2, 2009 at 11:30 am.
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Show notes
Michael Heller of Columbia Law School and author of The Gridlock Economy talks to EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the book and the idea that fragmented ownership is a barrier to innovation. Heller makes an analogy between the tragedy of the commons and what he calls the tragedy of the anticommons--the problem of bundling together numerous individual claims to a resource. Examples discussed include drug innovation when the innovator wants to use technologies of multiple patent holders, new music or visual media where the creator wants to use multiple copyrighted works, and allocation of spectrum rights and its role in wireless innovation.