Print Culture and The Modern World
Write in brief
1. Give reasons for the following:
a) Woodblock print only came to Europe after 1295.
Answer: Woodblock print came to Europe after 1295 because Marco Polo returned from China that year and brought back the knowledge of woodblock printing, which had already been developed there.
b) Martin Luther was in favour of print and spoke out in praise of it.
Answer: Martin Luther praised print because it helped in spreading his ideas quickly. His Ninety Five Theses and translation of the New Testament were widely circulated, and print created a new atmosphere of debate and Reformation. He called printing “the ultimate gift of God.”
c) The Roman Catholic Church began keeping an Index of Prohibited books from the mid-sixteenth century.
Answer: The Roman Catholic Church feared that the circulation of printed books would spread rebellious and irreligious ideas. To control this, it started maintaining an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558.
d) Gandhi said the fight for Swaraj is a fight for liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and freedom of association.
Answer: Gandhi believed that colonial rulers tried to crush people’s voices by controlling speech, press, and associations. For him, Swaraj (self-rule) could only be achieved if Indians had these freedoms.
2. Write short notes to show what you know about:
a) The Gutenberg Press
Answer: Gutenberg invented the first printing press in the 1430s. He used the model of the olive press and developed moveable metal types for each letter of the alphabet. His first printed book was the Bible. The press could print 250 sheets per hour and brought a revolution in book production.
b) Erasmus’s idea of the printed book
Answer: Erasmus, a Latin scholar, was worried that printing produced too many books. He feared this would create a flood of useless, ignorant, and irreligious writings, making valuable works lose their importance.
c) The Vernacular Press Act
Answer: The Vernacular Press Act was passed in 1878 by the colonial government. It gave the government rights to censor reports and editorials in Indian-language newspapers. If newspapers published seditious material, their press could be seized and closed down.
3. What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to:
a) Women
Answer: Print culture increased women’s education and writing. Many women learnt to read and wrote autobiographies, poems, and books. Journals and novels discussed women’s lives, education, and social reforms.
b) The poor
Answer: Very cheap small books were sold at markets so that even poor people could buy them. Public libraries were set up, and writings of leaders like Jyotiba Phule and Ambedkar spread ideas against caste discrimination.
c) Reformers
Answer: Reformers used print to spread new ideas and challenge social practices like widow immolation, caste discrimination, and child marriage. Newspapers, tracts, and pamphlets allowed reformers to reach a wider audience.
Discuss
1. Why did some people in eighteenth century Europe think that print culture would bring enlightenment and end despotism?
Answer: Many people in eighteenth-century Europe believed that books spread progress and new ideas. Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau questioned tradition, superstition, and the power of the Church and monarchy. They argued for reason and rationality. People thought that printed books would liberate society from despotism and tyranny and create a world based on knowledge and justice.
2. Why did some people fear the effect of easily available printed books? Choose one example from Europe and one from India.
Answer: Some people feared that printed books could spread rebellious and irreligious ideas.
- Europe: The Roman Catholic Church felt that uncontrolled circulation of books would challenge its authority. To stop this, it maintained an Index of Prohibited Books from 1558.
- India: Many conservative families feared that women reading books would bring bad luck. For example, some Hindus believed that a literate girl would be widowed, and some Muslims feared that women would be corrupted by Urdu romances.
3. What were the effects of the spread of print culture for poor people in nineteenth century India?
Answer: For the poor in nineteenth-century India, cheap small books were sold at crossroads and markets, so they could afford to buy them. Public libraries were set up in towns and villages, giving them access to books. Social reformers like Jyotiba Phule and later Ambedkar used print to attack caste discrimination, and workers like Kashibaba and Sudarshan Chakr also wrote about class and caste exploitation. Print gave the poor new opportunities to read, learn, and express themselves.
4. Explain how print culture assisted the growth of nationalism in India.
Answer: Print culture spread nationalist ideas by making newspapers, journals, and tracts widely available. Newspapers reported colonial misrule, encouraged public debates, and spread nationalist messages across India. Despite censorship laws like the Vernacular Press Act, nationalist writings grew and created unity among Indians. Leaders like Tilak used their newspapers (e.g., Kesari) to inspire people, and nationalist cartoons and literature criticised colonial rule, helping in the growth of nationalism.
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