Print Culture and the Modern World Notes in Hindi Class 10 History Chapter-5 Book-India and the Contemporary World-II
0Team Eklavyaअप्रैल 22, 2025
Today we cannot even imagine the world without printed material. Books, newspapers, magazines, calendars, advertisements, and posters – all these are all around us. We read, see and understand the issues of the world through them. But have you ever wondered that printing also has a history, and how it affects our society and the modern world? We will learn how printing started from East Asia and how it spread to Europe and India. Also, we will see how printing technology brought changes in society and life.
Early printed books
Printing technology originated in China, Japan, and Korea, where printing was done by hand. Gradually this technology developed with the expansion of urban culture and education.
1. Printing in China
Printing began in China in 594 AD with woodblocks, and books were made in the traditional 'accordion' style.
The monarchy promoted this process by printing large quantities of books for civil service examinations.
The expansion of urban culture in the seventeenth century was accompanied by the spread of reading, so that merchants, wealthy women, and common people became interested in reading fiction, poetry, and plays.
The advent of the mechanical press in the nineteenth century made printing faster and more efficient, further increasing the number of readers and reading material.
2. Printing in Japan
The printing technology was brought to Japan by Chinese Buddhist missionaries in 768–770 AD.
The oldest printed book in Japan is the Diamond Sutra, published in 868 AD.
This technology made books cheaper and allowed printing to be done on a variety of materials, such as prose, poetry, playing cards, and paper notes.
In the eighteenth century, the influence of the urban culture of Edo (Tokyo) was evident in printing, which included illustrated material depicting teahouses, artists, and courtesans.
Along with this, books written on women, music, kitchen and etiquette also became very popular.
The advent of printing in Europe
Printing technology reached Europe via China and played an important role in the spread of knowledge.
1. Beginning: From China to Europe
Chinese paper reached Europe via the Silk Road in the eleventh century, and in 1295 AD Marco Polo brought the technique of woodblock printing from China to Italy.
At that time, books were printed on expensive vellum for the wealthy and the monastic community, while merchants and students purchased cheaper printed books.
Due to the increasing demand, book fairs began to be organised and book sellers began to employ scribes, with one seller employing up to 50 scribes.
However, manuscripts were expensive, time-consuming, and fragile, making it challenging to meet growing demand. Woodblock printing became increasingly used to solve this problem.
2. Gutenberg and the Printing Press
In the 1430s, Johann Gutenberg, inspired by an olive press in Strasbourg, developed the printing press and made metal casts of letters.
In 1448 he produced the first printed book, the Bible. It took three years to print 180 copies, a very fast process for the time.
Early printed books resembled hand-made manuscripts, and wealthy buyers commissioned special designs to be created in the margins of books to suit their taste.
This contribution of Gutenberg brought a revolutionary change in printing technology.
3. The printing revolution
Between 1450 and 1550, printing presses were established in many European countries, leading to rapid expansion of printing technology.
In the fifteenth century the number of printed books rose to 20 million, while in the sixteenth century this number rose to 200 million.
This increasing publishing capacity gave a new direction to the culture of reading and writing and the dissemination of knowledge.
The printing revolution and its impact
The printing revolution not only brought about technological changes, but also had a profound impact on the level of society, religion and thoughts. It brought about major changes in people's thinking, knowledge and lifestyle.
1. New readership
Printing technology reduced the cost of books and made large quantities of books available, leading to the growth of a reading culture.
Previously people had listened to oral narratives and readings of religious texts, but printing made reading a personal experience.
Due to low literacy levels, folk songs, folktales, and illustrated books became popular and were read aloud at village gatherings and urban taverns.
This created a unique fusion between oral and print culture, where printed material was also shared orally, and listeners and readers interacted with one another.
2. Religious controversy and fear of print
Printing technology made the rapid dissemination of ideas possible, allowing dissenters to have a profound influence on society by publishing their views.
However, the authorities and religious leaders were concerned that the printed word could give rise to rebellious and irreligious ideas. They also feared the loss of "valuable literature" and traditional ideas.
Martin Luther wrote his Ninety-five Theses, criticizing the evils of the Catholic Church, which spread rapidly through printing and led to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation movement.
Luther recognized the power of printing, stating, "Printing is the greatest gift God has given us."
3.Printing and Resists
Printing technology had a profound impact on religion and ideas, as people now began to understand new interpretations of religion through printed books.
Italian peasant Menocchio derived new meanings from the Bible by reading books, which angered the Church and was considered heretical.
In response, the Roman Catholic Church launched the Inquisition, an attempt to suppress heretical views.
In 1558 the Church created a list of banned books to prevent the spread of such ideas and books.
Passion for reading and the influence of print culture
Print culture encouraged the desire for reading and writing and the hunger for knowledge in society. This effect became clearly visible in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
1. Passion for reading
The spread of discussions and schools in the eighteenth century led to a significant increase in literacy, with literacy rates reaching 60–80% in many European countries.
This growth in literacy brought with it the emergence of new material, including folk tales, almanacs, love stories, and entertainment books.
Books such as cheap "penny chapbooks" in England and the "Bibliothèque bleue" in France reached the poorer classes.
During this period, keeping social diversity in mind, material started being published according to different interests and needs.
Magazines, newspapers, and scientific texts also became available to the general public, leading to a widespread dissemination of knowledge and information.
2. The belief in knowledge and progress
During the Age of Enlightenment, books were considered the main source of progress and knowledge.
Novelist Louis Mercier called the printing press "the most powerful instrument of progress", playing a vital role in the dissemination of ideas and the development of society.
The printed word organised public opinion and created an atmosphere of protest against autocratic power.
Literature inspired people to question traditional views and embrace new ideas, triggering a new wave of social and political change.
3. Print culture and the French Revolution
Print culture played an important role in preparing the ground for the French Revolution.
The writings of thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau, as part of the spread of the Enlightenment, called for the restructuring of society on the basis of reason and rationality, while questioning superstition and absolutism.
Printing encouraged a culture of debate and dialogue among the common people, which led to the questioning of religion, faith, and traditions.
Additionally, cartoons, caricatures and critical literature served to incite people against the monarchy by attacking its morality and luxury.
All these together prepared the ideological basis necessary for the revolution.
4. Balanced effect of printing
Print culture promoted a mixing of ideas, where people could read the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and Voltaire, while also having access to the propaganda of the Church and monarchy.
Readers used every material according to their understanding and need, which made co-existence and dialogue of different ideologies possible in the society.
Printing and Literacy in the Nineteenth Century
The nineteenth century added new dimensions to literacy and printing technology. The spread of primary education and new technologies brought children, women, and workers into the world of reading.
1. Children and women readership
With primary education becoming compulsory, special books for children began to be published.
In 1857, a separate press was established in France to print children's books.
During this time, the Grimm brothers in Germany collected and published folktales that were edited to make them suitable for children.
Women also made important contributions to print culture. They became both readers and writers, and specialized material such as penny magazines and directories began to be printed for them.
Major writers such as Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and George Eliot coined the term "independent and strong woman", thereby strengthening women's rights and identity.
2. Laborers and libraries
From the seventeenth century onwards, book-renting libraries came into vogue, providing a means of self-improvement and self-expression, especially for the working classes.
With increased literacy and shorter working hours, workers began to use these libraries not just for reading but also to write political pamphlets and autobiographies, thereby expressing their thoughts and experiences to society.
3. Technological development
Improvements in printing technology made the printing process faster and more efficient.
The power press, developed by Richard M. Hoe, was capable of printing 8,000 sheets per hour, while the offset press made six-color printing possible.
Photoelectric control and automatic paper-reel further improved the printing process. During this period new methods were also adopted in the promotion of books.
Novels began to be published in magazines in serial form, which increased the interest of readers.
The "Shilling Series" made cheap books available in the 1920s, while paperback editions made books more accessible during the economic depression of the 1930s.
India's print world
Printing arrived in India in the sixteenth century, but there was a rich history of handwritten manuscripts before that. Printing gradually transformed the dissemination of information and knowledge in India.
1. Manuscripts before printing
The tradition of manuscripts involved writing on palm leaves or handmade paper in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and various regional languages.
They were decorated with beautiful illustrations and attractive bindings, which increased their artistic and cultural importance. However, the manuscripts were fragile and expensive, and difficult to read because of the variety of handwriting.
Their use in the education system was limited. In Bengal, students relied more on memorizing the knowledge imparted by their gurus rather than reading books.
2. Advent of printing in India
In the sixteenth century, Portuguese missionaries introduced a printing press to Goa, bringing printing to India.
Early printing saw the first Tamil book printed in 1579 and the first Malayalam book in 1713. Dutch preachers published 32 books in Tamil, encouraging printing in regional languages.
The English press arrived in India in 1780, when James Augustus Hickey began publishing the "Bengal Gazette". It was India's first independent English newspaper, which published accounts of slave sales and gossip about colonial officials, giving a unique picture of society at the time.
3. Colonial control and free press
The government took a tough stance on the free press, with Governor Warren Hastings suing James Augustus Hickey, publisher of the "Bengal Gazette".
In addition, the colonial government began to promote newspapers under its control in order to maintain its monopoly on information.
At the same time, Indians also tried to raise their voice through the press.
Raja Rammohan Roy's associate Gangadhar Bhattacharya published a newspaper called "Bengal Gazette", which was an important initiative in Indian efforts towards independent journalism.
Religious reforms and public debates
In the early nineteenth century, major debates arose in India about religion and social reform. Printing and the printing press gave a new direction to these debates, which brought about widespread changes in society.
1. Debates on religion and social reform
Changes in colonial society brought heightened debates over religion and customs, with some wanting to reform existing traditions while conservatives were staunchly opposed to such reforms. The advent of the printing press further fuelled this debate.
Printed pamphlets and newspapers disseminated new ideas, giving ordinary people the opportunity to participate in these discussions and express their views. Print made debates on religion and society a medium of mass participation.
2. Debates in Hindu society
There were debates in colonial India on social and religious issues such as widow burning, idol worship, brahminical order and monotheism.
Rammohan Roy propagated reformist ideas through "Samvad Kaumudi" in 1821, in which he advocated changes in traditions. These ideas of his were responded to by the conservatives through newspapers like "Samachar Chandrika", which opposed his reforms.
During this period, religious texts also became widely circulated. The first printed edition of Tulsidas's "Ramacharitmanas" appeared in 1810 and cheap lithograph editions of the text reached every corner of North India, further increasing the influence of printing on religion and society.
3. Print and debates in Muslim society
During colonial rule, the fear of conversion and changes in Islamic laws became strong among the people
To counter this fear, printing was used to disseminate religious ideas through translations of religious texts into Persian and Urdu, as well as through cheap pamphlets and newspapers.
The Deoband Seminary was established in 1867, which promoted religious education and issued fatwas based on Islamic principles.
It played an important role in preserving the religious and cultural identity of Muslims.
4. Role of print in connecting communities
Religious books became widely popular due to their ease of availability and ease to carry.
These books were also useful for illiterate people, because they could be read aloud.
Through this, dialogue on religious issues increased and connections were created between different religions and their communities.
Printed books gave a new direction to the exchange of ideas in society by promoting debates and discussions.
New forms of publishing and their impact on society
1. Development of literature and visual culture
With the development of the novel genre in Europe, this genre also became increasingly popular in India. Stories, socio-political articles and songs became an important part of the readers' interest.
These genres effectively presented the experiences and emotions of human life. During this period, visual culture also emerged.
Artists like Raja Ravi Varma created paintings for the common people, which were marketed as inexpensive pictures and calendars and began to decorate homes and offices.
Caricatures and cartoons also started appearing in newspapers and magazines, which made satirical comments on socio-political issues and spread awareness among the public.
2. Women and print culture
In the nineteenth century, middle class women started taking interest in studies and writing, which brought a new change in the society. Many magazines for women started getting published, which included topics like women's education, household and social reform.
Rashsundari Devi presented the first autobiography by writing "Amar Jiban" in 1876, which was an important effort to express the experiences of women. In the same series, writers like Kailashbashini Devi, Tarabai Shinde, and Pandita Ramabai wrote on the problems and experiences of women.
Although traditional Hindu and Muslim societies opposed women's education, many women broke these stereotypes and made their mark through education and writing.
3. The poor and print culture
The sale of cheap books and the establishment of libraries at crossroads provided the poor sections with the opportunity to read and get educated. The rich class also opened libraries to increase their social prestige.
Caste-based writings during this period laid the foundation for social change. Jyotiba Phule's "Gulamgiri" (1871) harshly criticised the caste system, while Bhimrao Ambedkar and Periyar raised the voice of the oppressed classes with their writings on caste and social justice.
The working class also resorted to literature to share their experiences. Kashibaba's "Chhota aur Bade Sawaal" (1938) exposed caste and class exploitation.
Workers in Bangalore and Bombay set up libraries with the aim of educating themselves and spreading awareness.
Print and Restrictions: The Rise of Censorship in the Colonial Era
1. Censorship in the early stages
Before 1798, the East India Company was not much concerned about controlling printed material. Initially, censorship was mainly applied against Englishmen who were critical of the company.
The company feared that such criticism could attack their trading rights and privileges in England, thereby weakening their position.
2. Press Laws and Preliminary Control
In the 1820s the Calcutta Supreme Court enacted laws regulating freedom of the press, imposing strict restrictions on printed material.
However, in 1835 Governor-General William Bentinck and Thomas Macaulay introduced liberal legislation to restore freedom of the press, thereby promoting freedom of expression and giving the press renewed strength.
3. Strictness on the press after 1857
After the revolt of 1857, the colonial government felt the need to impose tighter controls on the 'native' press. As a result, the Vernacular Press Act was enacted in 1878, which was designed to censor the vernacular press.
Under this law, if any report was termed seditious, the concerned newspaper was warned. If the warning was not followed, the newspaper was confiscated and its printing machines were also confiscated. This law imposed severe restrictions on the freedom of the press.
4. Rise of the nationalist press
During the national movement, nationalist newspapers continued to publish reports of colonial misrule and support the independence movement.
Despite repressive policies, these newspapers continued to spread to every corner of the country and became a strong medium of the freedom struggle.
In 1907, Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the Kesari newspaper expressed sympathy over the punishment of the revolutionaries of Punjab.
This article led to Tilak's arrest in 1908, sparking protests across India. These events further strengthened the power and role of the press.
