I have no intention of defending JSTOR, but on the other hand, we do need
to keep in mind that we live in capitalism with its corresponding system
of property relations. Alas, this means that those who control the
production of use values (in this case, making scientific papers available
on line) have an enforceable juridical right to put them on the market at
whatever price they choose. Calls to disrupt JSTOR’s operations are
nothing but a self-defeating and in the end rather trivial form of
avant-guardism. Since I do not expect the overthrow of capitalism and all
it stands for at any time in the foreseeable future, I suggest that a more
productive line of debate should focus on how we can make academic
literature a truly public good, either by means of governmental subsidies
or by voluntary work and monetary contributions. All of that being said,
Aaron Swartz was only exploiting existing loopholes in the system and
should clearly be released from any impending legal proceedings. Cheers.
Allen Scott.
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