First, the use of intellectual property without compensation to the overseas owner in America was hardly limited to story books. It covered farming, industry, religious, political, and scientific fields as well as purely cultural ones. The American, non-cultural, intellectual property contributions in the 1800's were nothing short of remarkable, challenging the entire "knowledge economy" of Europe, if not completely decimating whole parts of it. I would argue its cultural contributions in the period were no less significant though non-traditional. Second, as an entirely immigrant culture, when taking a rare culture break in the 1800's Americans wanted their home-grown stuff - - which happened to be stuff from somewhere other than the United States - - such as the Polka's Mr. Kay loves so well. Third, Americans were really busy doing other things. Mark Twain was a rare and very special artist and not the last in the American cultural tradition of requiring that its artists come from working, practical roots rather than working at their art while subsidized by Popes or royalty.

Can anyone with a straight face argue to the leader of a developing country that they should pay full freight for medical textbooks, computer programs or texts on irrigation systems and biotechnological defenses to crop disease? Could anyone then with a straight face argue the need to pay for bootleg films or music? Should such leaders really spend their time negotiating use terms with copyright owners at "reduced" rates (negotiations in which they are forced to beg for relief as if they have done something wrong to be in the position they find themselves)? Can a copyright owner reconcile a demand for local enforcement by a developing country with the owner's own uses for that country as a cheap manufacturer or as a source for under-market raw materials?

I would encourage people who can affect the policy of copyright owners to not make the mistakes of patent drug owners. Back-off. Give a free license without demand. Block tans-shipment from these countries of bootleg goods at the point of entry if you need to. Treat developing countries with respect. Don't insult them with offers they shouldn't take or demands they should not be forced to accede to. Help them develop. And don't rewrite your own history to pretend that you didn't need the same help once upon a time.