1. A system for distributing an electronic document comprising: a memory configured to store the electronic document; and a central distribution system in operable communication with the memory, the distribution system configured to: retrieve a copy of the electronic document from the memory; associate with the copy of the electronic document one or more rights, wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document; and provide the copy of the electronic document in a form that allows a first client to exercise the one or more rights associated with the copy of the electronic document, wherein one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client rights to at least a portion of a body of content of the electronic document to enable the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through an act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content, and wherein the central distribution system is configured such that said second client receives said at least a portion of said shared body of content from said central server only after the second client's rights to receive the shared content, as derived from the first client, are exercised by the second client such that the exercise of such rights by said second client directly causes the shared content to be delivered to the second client.