Abstract
The last article of the symposium on the preferential option for the poor focuses on intellectual property (IP) & whether strong IP protections help or harm the poor. Catholic Social Teaching affirms intellectual property but maintains that limits on intellectual property are equally important. Mandates covered by the preferential option for the poor are described, especially the recent emphasis on empowering the poor to take part in creative & productive work. An analysis of the goals of empowerment support protection of IP rights suggests that a full extension of IP rights can be harmful to the poor & limits are necessary, particularly in relation to disputes involving patents & the provision of essential medicines. Other issues discussed include the importance of empowering the poor to become creators & producers themselves, & the need to recognize that a full extension of IP rights encourages "allocative efficiency," the movement of resources toward their most highly valued use through market transactions rather than providing incentives to create. Suggestions are offered for appropriate adjustments to IP. J. Lindroth