Why does France defend authors while Britain backs “innovation”? The answer lies in two centuries of cultural philosophy: France treats creators as custodians of national identity; Britain views them as participants in a market. As AI reshapes publishing, these old instincts have re-emerged - with profound consequences for anyone who makes books.

The Net Book Agreement kept UK book prices fixed for almost 100 years, allowing local bookshops to thrive and publishers to take risks. But in 1997, it was declared illegal. Was it outdated protectionism - or a cultural safety net we didn’t realise we needed?