This book investigates the institutionalized process, basic laws, and evolutionary trends of the patent system based on the analytical model of evolutionary theory and deploying a historical and comparative approach.

Unlike traditional scholarship that focuses solely on the analysis of legal texts, this book considers the patent system to be both a historical product and an evolving institution that requires a synchronic study of its institutionalization. The author traces the emergence and evolution of the patent system by examining the concept and derivative systems during the pre-industrial age, the medieval period, and the industrial age respectively, as well as the challenges it faces nowadays. By exploring the influencing factors and roles of technology, economy, culture, and power that have determined and shaped the patent system throughout history, the book provides insights into the impetus, principles, and mechanisms of its formation and evolution, shedding light on its future and advancement.

This title will greatly benefit students, researchers, legal professionals, and policy makers interested in intellectual property law and policy, particularly the patent system.