Frédéric Bastiat：Economic Sophisms, Excerpt 82

At length the invention comes to be known. Guttemberg is no longer the only printer; others imitate him. Their profits' at first are large. They are thus rewarded for having been the first to imitate the invention; and it is right that it should be so, for this higher remuneration was necessary to induce them to concur in the grand definite result which is approaching. They gain a great deal, but they gain less than the inventor, for _competition_ now begins its work. The price of books goes on falling. The profit of imitators goes on diminishing in proportion as the invention becomes of older date; that is to say, in proportion as the imitation becomes less meritorious.....

Source： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44145
Locator：Excerpt 82 · Verified：2026-10-19 · Verification：Short excerpt

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