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The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law

Ogulcan Ekiz Orcid Logo

Elgar Research Handbook on Intellectual Property and Social Justice

Swansea University Author: Ogulcan Ekiz Orcid Logo

Abstract

This chapter critically examines the distributive account of copyright law through the lens of John Rawls’s theory of justice as fairness. While proponents of this framework argue that copyright can be evaluated based on its ability to uphold equal liberties and distribute income and opportunities f...

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Published in: Elgar Research Handbook on Intellectual Property and Social Justice
Published: Edward Elgar Publishing
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70316
first_indexed 2025-09-06T11:51:07Z
last_indexed 2025-11-04T15:01:43Z
id cronfa70316
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spelling 2025-11-03T12:23:32.8513384 v2 70316 2025-09-06 The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law 996bb7fae681d329e35e2b2c29e7418d 0000-0002-0592-8911 Ogulcan Ekiz Ogulcan Ekiz true false 2025-09-06 HRCL This chapter critically examines the distributive account of copyright law through the lens of John Rawls’s theory of justice as fairness. While proponents of this framework argue that copyright can be evaluated based on its ability to uphold equal liberties and distribute income and opportunities fairly within creative industries, this chapter challenges the assumption that copyright law functions in isolation from broader socio-economic structures. It argues that copyright law’s practical implementation is heavily shaped by private ordering, power imbalances, and informal enforcement. These factors limit users’ ability to exercise legal exceptions, disproportionately benefiting more powerful actors. The chapter concludes that without addressing these structural conditions, the application of Rawlsian principles to copyright law risks being normatively appealing but practically inadequate in achieving distributive justice. Book chapter Elgar Research Handbook on Intellectual Property and Social Justice Edward Elgar Publishing Distributive Justice, Justice as Fairness, Private Ordering of the Law, Copyright Law, Legal Theory 0 0 0 0001-01-01 COLLEGE NANME Hillary Rodham Clinton Law School COLLEGE CODE HRCL Swansea University 2025-11-03T12:23:32.8513384 2025-09-06T12:46:08.3926486 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law Ogulcan Ekiz 0000-0002-0592-8911 1
title The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
spellingShingle The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
Ogulcan Ekiz
title_short The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
title_full The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
title_fullStr The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
title_full_unstemmed The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
title_sort The Limits of the Distributive Account of Copyright Law: Rawls, Inequality, and the Private Ordering of Law
author_id_str_mv 996bb7fae681d329e35e2b2c29e7418d
author_id_fullname_str_mv 996bb7fae681d329e35e2b2c29e7418d_***_Ogulcan Ekiz
author Ogulcan Ekiz
author2 Ogulcan Ekiz
format Book chapter
container_title Elgar Research Handbook on Intellectual Property and Social Justice
institution Swansea University
publisher Edward Elgar Publishing
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Hilary Rodham Clinton School of Law
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description This chapter critically examines the distributive account of copyright law through the lens of John Rawls’s theory of justice as fairness. While proponents of this framework argue that copyright can be evaluated based on its ability to uphold equal liberties and distribute income and opportunities fairly within creative industries, this chapter challenges the assumption that copyright law functions in isolation from broader socio-economic structures. It argues that copyright law’s practical implementation is heavily shaped by private ordering, power imbalances, and informal enforcement. These factors limit users’ ability to exercise legal exceptions, disproportionately benefiting more powerful actors. The chapter concludes that without addressing these structural conditions, the application of Rawlsian principles to copyright law risks being normatively appealing but practically inadequate in achieving distributive justice.
published_date 0001-01-01T05:30:33Z
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score 11.089386

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