> Everything is an artificial protection by your standard. Laws are written for a reason.

No it isn't and this comes across as a straw man. Competing on price, build quality, distribution, aesthetic, service support etc etc are all very real.

> Why would anyone sink huge amounts of money into developing IP if a competitor can just wait and then take it for itself.

How/why did we ever develop anything prior to 1710? And we can add first movers advantage to the list of "real" protections, as well as prestige, marketing etc.

> And if its such a good idea, why hasn't China been a superpower for so long?

Define superpower here? It seems to me that Western powers became global powers first because of colonialism, which A) was driven by materials not by IP, and B) caused direct harm to China.

> China has risen by replicating the West's technology and techniques. Where would China right now be without the West?

Was China in a bad position before the Europeans arrived? Since the Opium Wars they've been forced to play along or risk being wiped out completely. Where could they be without the west indeed.

> Suddenly China is going excel at something at something they haven't done?

Haven't they? It seems that they are very competitive for a host of practical manufacturing reasons that could have been implemented elsewhere if there had been a will or long term vision.

> Japan is instructive because they rose economically in a similar fashion.

Japan was completely neutered and propped up by the US for half a century while they "recovered." It's not a comparable situation.

> there is strong evidence that freedom and a cosmopolitan society promotes innovation.

Is there? Did Britain become a superpower because of its free and cosmopolitan society? Is being a superpower our end goal?

> Which system is better isn't hard to spot. The naivete of some here is incredible.

This isn't an argument at all, just an ad hominem not in keeping with site guidelines. I'm happy to discuss but strawmen and as hominems are very off-putting.