Print Culture and the Modern World

Class 10 History � Chapter 05

1. The First Printed Books

The earliest print technology was developed in China, Japan and Korea (Hand Printing).

China (The Pioneer)

From 594 AD: Books printed by rubbing paper against woodblocks.
Accordion Book: Folded and stitched at sides (since paper was thin).
CSI (Civil Service Exams): Textbooks for these exams were printed in vast numbers.

Japan: Buddhist missionaries introduced hand-printing around AD 768-770.
Diamond Sutra (AD 868): Oldest Japanese book.
Ukiyo-e: 'Pictures of the floating world'. Ivy urban culture. Artists: Kitagawa Utamaro.

2. Print Comes to Europe

Silk Route: Paper reached Europe (11th Century) via this route.

Marco Polo (1295): Returned to Italy from China and brought woodblock printing knowledge.

Gutenberg and the Printing Press (1430s)

Johann Gutenberg (Strasbourg, Germany) developed the first mechanical printing press.

Used his knowledge of: Olive Press, Goldsmithing (Lead Moulds).
First Book: The Bible (180 copies in 3 years).
Mechanical printing did not entirely displace hand-production (borders were still hand-painted).
Print Revolution: Cost fell, Time reduced, Multiple copies possible. Reading Public emerged.

3. Religious Debates and Fear of Print

Print created possibility of wide circulation of ideas. It introduced a new world of debate. Those who disagreed with established authorities could print their ideas.

MARTIN LUTHER (1517) Wrote 95 Theses criticizing many practices of the Catholic Church. Posted on church door in Wittenberg.
Impact: Led to the Protestant Reformation.
"Print is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one."

Menocchio (Italy): A miller who reinterpreted the Bible. Enraged the Roman Catholic Church. He was executed.
Index of Prohibited Books (1558): Church began to maintain a list of prohibited books.

4. The Reading Mania (17th & 18th Century)

Literacy rates went up (60-80%).

Chapbooks (England): Penny pocketbooks sold by pedlars (Chapmen).
Bibliotheque Bleue (France): Low priced small books on poor quality paper (blue covers).
Periodical Press: Newspapers and Journals aimed at combining information (wars/trade) with entertainment.

Tremble, therefore, Tyrants of the world!

Louise-Sebastien Mercier: "The printing press is the most powerful engine of progress...". Proclaimed that print would destroy despotism.

Print Culture and French Revolution

Print popularized ideas of Enlightenment thinkers (Voltaire, Rousseau) - Rule of Reason.
Culture of Dialogue and Debate.
Mocking the Royalty (Cartoons/Caricatures).

5. India and the World of Print

5.1 Manuscripts

Rich tradition in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian. Copied on Palm leaves. Fragile and expensive. Not widely used in everyday life.

5.2 Print Comes to India

Mid-16th Century: Portuguese missionaries (Goa). Konkani/Kanara books.
James Augustus Hickey: Began editing Bengal Gazette (1780). "A commercial paper open to all, but influenced by none". Published gossip about EIC officials.

6. Religious Reform and Public Debates

Intense controversies between social/religious reformers and Hindu orthodoxy.

Rammohun Roy: Published Sambad Kaumudi (1821). Opposed Sati/Monotheism.
Samachar Chandrika: Commissioned by Hindu orthodoxy to oppose Roy.
Deoband Seminary (1867): Islamic scholars fearful of colonial rulers converting Muslims. Published thousands of fatwas telling Muslims how to conduct daily life.

7. New Forms of Publication

Novels, Lyrics, Short stories, Essays.
Raja Ravi Varma: Painter. Produced images for mass circulation.

Women and Print

Liberal families: Taught women to read.
Conservative families: Feared reading would make women widows (Hindu) or corrupt (Muslim).
Rashsundari Debi (Bengal): Wrote Amar Jiban (1876) - first autobiography in Bengali language. Learnt to read secretly.
Tarabai Shinde & Pandita Ramabai (Maharashtra): Wrote about miserable lives of upper-caste Hindu women (Widows).

Print and Poor People

Jyotiba Phule: Wrote Gulamgiri (1871) exposing caste system ('Slavery').
Chhote Aur Bade Ka Sawal: Essay by Kashibaba (Kanpur mill worker) on links between caste and class exploitation.

8. Print and Censorship

Vernacular Press Act (1878): Modelled on Irish Press Laws. Gave govt rights to censor reports in vernacular press. If a paper ignored warning, press was confiscated (e.g., Amrita Bazar Patrika turned English overnight to escape).