Dear John,

What you say about the conventionality of property rights is correct, first
articulated by Rousseau.

What I had in mind was to go a step further.  If OUP is actually asserting a
right over that foundational text in substantial quotations---as I say, I'm
still a little fuzzy on what exactly OUP is asserting, since I got into the
discussion late---then we as scholars who supply OUP with manuscripts and
demand their books should mount a boycott.  If the OUP action is as
bloodyminded as I imagine, then bloddymindedness in reply is in order, I
suppose.  But maybe it's not so bad as I imagine.  In any case we have the
option of simply refusing to pay.

Regards,

Deirdre McCloskey