Holanda acabou com o sistema de patentes em 1869 por motivos ideológicos

(...) "the central reason why the Netherlands abolished patent laws in 1869 was the ideological link between patents and protectionism; patent laws were at odds with the Netherlands’ commitment to free trade." 

O resultado? A inovação na Holanda mudou de direção para aquelas áreas em que as patentes eram menos importantes. Aprendi isso aqui:
Moser, Petra. "How Do Patent Laws Influence Innovation? Evidence from Nineteenth-Century World's Fairs." The American Economic Review 95.4 (2005): 1214-1236.