The term "intellectual property" is a relative legal novelty, and applying "IP" law to individuals, as opposed to rogue publishers printing works without a contract with the author and profiting from sales of that work, is an even more dubious novelty.

The purpose of copyright protection, which was a controversial issue at the time the US Constitution was drafted, is written in the Copyright Clause: "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."

Anything beyond that stated purpose is hindering "the Progress of Science and useful Arts."

That copyright terms are limited is essential, and should optimize the purpose, not the profit of publishers who go unmentioned.