Print Culture and the Modern World

It is difficult for us to imagine a world without printed matter. We find examples of print everywhere around us – in books, journals, newspapers, prints of famous paintings, and also in everyday things like theatre programmes, official circulars, calendars, diaries, advertisements, cinema posters at street corners and many more. Here we will study about the development of print in the modern world.

The Initially Printed Books

Japan, China and Korea were the pioneers of the earliest kind of print technology, popularly known as hand printing. Ancient China was a significant producer of printed material. When China reached its mature urban culture, print became a part of the everyday life of the people. Print in Japan was initiated by Buddhist missionaries from China in around 768-770 AD. Diamond Sutra is the oldest Japanese book.

Print In Europe

As stated above, China already had the technology of printing and the great explorer Marco Polo, after years of exploration in China, returned to Italy and brought this technology with him. In a short period, this technology spread in Europe. 

As the demand for printed material increased, the need for a new and quick printing technology felt. This discovery took place in Strasbourg, Germany, when Johann Gutenburg developed the first printing press in the 1440s. This shift to mechanical printing paved the way for the print revolution.

The Print Revolution And Its Impact

The print revolution was not just a new technique of printing. It changed the lives of the masses. The printing press reduced the cost of the books, and this created a new culture of reading. Earlier, it was confined to elites only, Now the common people could freely spread their ideas, which introduced a new era of discussions and debates. It was also feared that easy access and wider circulation of texts could trigger rebellious thoughts in the people’s minds.

The Reading Mania

Through the 17th and 18th centuries, literacy rates in Europe went up. Schools were set up in villages by churches. There was a reading mania in Europe with increasing literacy rates. Different forms of reading material were then easily accessible to the masses, like:

•  Entertainment
•  Ideas of scientists
• Ideas of philosophers. 
• Maps, scientific diagrams, ancient and medieval texts were printed on a large scale. 
• According to French novelist Louis-Sebastien Mercier, ‘The printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion in the force that will sweep despotism away’.

The Nineteenth Century

In the nineteenth century, literacy in Europe witnessed a huge growth that brought a huge number of fresh readers which included children, women and workers. Here children became the crucial class of readers as primary education became mandatory in the late nineteenth century and printing children’s textbooks became the utmost priority of publishing houses.

The importance of women increased as writers and readers. Penny magazines were particularly for women. Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters and George Eliot were some of the best-known writers of that time. The printing industry witnessed further innovation by the late nineteenth century as the power-driven cylindrical press could print 8000 sheets per hour.

India And The World of Print

From ancient times India had a tradition of handwritten manuscripts, particularly in Sanskrit, Persian and vernacular languages. This tradition continued after the introduction of print till the late nineteenth century but maintaining manuscripts was highly costly and delicate to handle, and it was not easy to read. Hence it did not become a part of everyday life.

When Portuguese missionaries came to Goa in the mid 16th century, they introduced the printing press. Until quite late, the English language press did not grow in India. By the late eighteenth century, several newspapers and journals appeared in print. Many Indian newspapers were also brought out, and the first one to appear was the weekly ‘Bengal Gazette’ by Gangadhar Bhattacharya.

Public Debates And Religious Reforms

Debates around religious issues became intense from the nineteenth century onwards, and print was a great medium to carry out these debates. Existing practises were criticised by some people, and they demanded reforms. On the other hand, some countered the arguments of reformers.

Print inspired the people in many ways like:

• People of all religions in India started reading religious texts
• Religious texts reached the masses and opened them for discussions, debates and dissension within and among different religions
•  It also helped different communities connect in various parts of India

New Forms Of Publications

As the number of readers increased, printing created a desire for a new kind of writing. People wanted their own lives, emotions and relationships to be reflected in the content that they read. Some new literary forms were also introduced which were:

• Short stories
• Lyrics 
• Essays about political and social matters. 

In middle-class homes, women’s reading increased, liberal husbands and fathers started educating their women and several schools were set up for women education. In the nineteenth-century madras town, low priced books were made available to help poor people.

Print And Censorship

The colonial state under the East India company was not concerned about censorship before 1798, but in 1820 the Calcutta Supreme Court curbed the freedom of the press by passing some regulations. In 1835 Governor-General Bentinck agreed to revise press laws after facing petitions from the editors of the newspapers.

After the great revolt of 1857, press laws started changing. The Vernacular press act was passed in 1878, which provided enormous powers to the government to censor any kind of editorials and reports. Despite the authoritarian laws, the number of nationalist newspapers grew in all parts of India.

Conclusion

Beginning in East Asia, the history of print and its development began to expand in Europe and India. Print culture and the modern world revolves around this concept. How cultures and social lives changed and the spread of technology with the introduction of print are also discussed.