Inventions have been protected, in England, by patents since the sixteenth century. The patent system has undergone significant change since that time - in the nineteenth century, major legislative reforms were undertaken in the shadow of an abolitionist movement; and in the twentieth century, the system began to accommodate radical technological developments. This research applies insights from evolutionary theory, allowing a focus on the range of parties involved in the system and an acknowledgement of how these parties have changed as the system and society have developed.

中文翻译：

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专利历史的新见解：进化论的应用

自十六世纪以来，发明在英国一直受到专利保护。自那时以来，专利制度发生了重大变化-在19世纪，在废奴运动的阴影下进行了重大立法改革。在20世纪，该系统开始适应激进的技术发展。这项研究运用了来自进化论的见解，使人们可以集中精力研究系统中涉及的各方范围，并认识到随着系统和社会的发展，这些各方如何变化。