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CS Professional · Intellectual Property Rights - Law and Practice · Introduction to Intellectual Property

Meera, a Pune-based textile designer, argues that because she spent years of effort creating an original pattern, she deserves exclusive rights over it, just as a person who mixes labour with land acquires property in it. Which theory of intellectual property does her argument reflect?

Her argument reflects the labour theory, associated with John Locke, which holds that a creator who invests effort and labour in producing something deserves property rights in the result, comparable to labour mixed with land.

  1. ALabour theory (Lockean theory)Correct
  2. BUtilitarian theory
  3. CPersonality theory
  4. DSocial planning theory

Explanation

The labour theory, drawn from John Locke, holds that a person who invests labour in creating something is entitled to its fruits. Meera's reasoning rests on effort mixed with a resource. The utilitarian theory instead justifies rights by overall social benefit and incentive to innovate.

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