Owning the Future

Knowledge is the key variable of the new global economy. But in the rush to stake claims in the knowledge economy, players are losing sight of impending threats to innovation, limitations on choice, and the fostering of monopolies that will inflate the costs of goods and services we take for granted. If this continues, Shulman warns, we will lose the public education and public access that are the bedrock of a democratic society. As knowledge becomes a valuable commodity, people will hoard it, fight over it, and seek to control it like never before. Owning the Future chronicles the battles for control over the intangible new assets--genes, software, databases, and technological information--that make up the lifeblood of the new economy. These battles will affect our jobs, our schools, and the information we read, influencing the price and availability of products and even fostering international conflict.