Battle in the History of the Printed Word Essay

Battle in the History of the Printed Word - Essay Example word as a principal vehicle of knowledge and thought, and that without censorship, printed word could be a possible vehicle for subversive political views that can overthrow the government (eds. Darnton and Roche p.3-5). The eighteenth century view of censorship versus free press is different from the current perspective on the said issue. During the Enlightenment era, the promotion of a liberal worldview has been the point of struggle of the people. Old Regime France has controlled the press in the hopes of controlling the perspective of the people on the current governing body. The state was frequently challenged by the people concerning the way they govern and manage the nation. Because of this, the state has established laws of censorship. This was to prevent further uprising and to prevent people from gathering ideas that will eventually bring the end of the absolutist state. This censorship has split the publication world into two, those that adhered to the laws set by the state and those that opposed censorship and went into underground publication. The state was able to put in place censorship laws. Before any material was published, it will undergo an inspection and if the state saw that it may contain subversive ideas, then it will be edited or not published at all. The government has not perfected the system, though, and people found ways around it. Underground published materials circulated throughout France, reaching even more supporters of free press. While the inspectors worked hard in tracking down and preventing seditious material from being circulated, the booksellers pushed to expand their businesses capitalizing on the Enlightenment ideas that have been spreading like wildfire throughout France (Roche p.5). Recent studies of the Enlightenment Period traces the controversial censorship of the Old Regime France. This is to gain a full understanding of the various reasons, influences and impacts of the said issue on the French people, and