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Abstract
In 1980, when the Supreme Court allowed a genetically altered bacterium to be patented, it altered forever the scope of patenting (Chakrabarty, 1980). With this ruling, the court set aside the Legislature's specific mandate against patenting of living organisms (except for specific asexual plant categories) and more specifically, bacterium. This single action opened the door for biotechnology companies to apply for patents on a wide range of organisms, genetically altered or naturally occurring with specific uses. Prior to this date, there had been only a modest and narrowly defined protest against changes and additions in the Plant Variety Act (PVA), which allowed specific plant types to be patented. These protests concentrated on eliminating plant patent restrictions affecting farmers. The Chakrabarty case catalyzed opposition to perceived threat created by patenting of living organisms/life forms. The protest is conducted on many fronts from the national to the local level. Because of the abstract and complicated nature of the issues involved in this protest, tactics/strategies and resources vary from those employed by more traditional forms of social movement organizations (SMOs).
This examination of the anti-genetic patent social movement covers a time period from 1980 through the year 2000. The focus is primarily on three Social Movement Organizations: The Council for Responsible Genetics, The Foundation on Economic Trends and Greenpeace. The social movement is investigated through the current social movement perspectives of Resource Mobilization, Political Opportunity Structure and most especially Framing.
