C|Net News' Declan McCullagh writes a short article making a comparison that is coming into vogue: Current Copyright Law = Prohibition (Perspective: The copyright conundrum):
The problem is simple: Copyright law has diverged wildly from what the average Internet user and DVD owner believes it is reasonable to do. This can result in a dangerous and unstable situation, where the police have the legal authority to toss so many otherwise law-abiding people in prison. It creates contempt for the law and the courts. It's a throwback to Prohibition, when booze was illegal, but bootlegging was common.
This is why education on these issues is critical. The more people know about the idiocy of current copyright law, the harder it will be for Hollywood to achieve their nefarious goals. Prohibition also serves as a model whereby the people repealed existing law (a constitutional amendment no less).
This is why I think that the MPAA's and RIAA's recent call for colleges and universities to educate their students about copyright could be one of the biggest mistakes they've made. Anyone for copyright teach-ins?