“The origin of copyright dates back to the early 18th century. The concept began to take shape with the Statute of Anne, passed in Britain in 1710. This law, also known as the Copyright Act 1710, is often considered the first copyright statute. It granted authors exclusive rights to their works for a limited time, giving them control over the reproduction and distribution of their writings.
Before this, works were typically considered part of the public domain once they were published. The Statute of Anne aimed to balance the interests of authors and the public, providing authors with a temporary monopoly to encourage creativity while eventually allowing works to become public property.
The concept of copyright then spread to other countries, evolving into the modern copyright laws we have today. The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, established in 1886, was a significant step in international copyright law, setting standards for the protection of literary and artistic works across member countries.”
Well, it is 21st century , copyleft is the future and should be.