The Invention of Free Press

Writers and Censorship in Eighteenth Century Europe

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Writing & Publishing, Publishing, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, History
Cover of the book The Invention of Free Press by Edoardo Tortarolo, Springer Netherlands
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Edoardo Tortarolo ISBN: 9789401773461
Publisher: Springer Netherlands Publication: March 9, 2016
Imprint: Springer Language: English
Author: Edoardo Tortarolo
ISBN: 9789401773461
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Publication: March 9, 2016
Imprint: Springer
Language: English

Tracking the relationship between the theory of press control and the realities of practicing daily press censorship prior to publication, this volume on the suppression of dissent in early modern Europe tackles a topic with many elusive and under-researched characteristics. Pre-publication censorship was common in absolutist regimes in Catholic and Protestant countries alike, but how effective it was in practice remains open to debate. The Netherlands and England, where critical content segued into outright lampoonery, were unusual for hard-wired press freedoms that arose, respectively, from a highly competitive publishing industry and highly decentralized political institutions. These nations remained extraordinary exceptions to a rule that, for example in France, did not end until the revolution of 1789. Here, the author’s European perspective provides a survey of the varying censorship regulations in European nations, as well as the shifting meanings of ‘freedom of the press’. The analysis opens up fascinating insights, afforded by careful reading of primary archival sources, into the reactions of censors confronted with manuscripts by authors seeking permission to publish. Tortarolo sets the opinions on censorship of well-known writers, including Voltaire and Montesquieu, alongside the commentary of anonymous censors, allowing us to revisit some common views of eighteenth-century history. How far did these writers, their reasoning stiffened by Enlightenment values, promote dissident views of absolutist monarchies in Europe, and what insights did governments gain from censors’ reports into the social tensions brewing under their rule? These questions will excite dedicated researchers, graduate students, and discerning lay readers alike.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Tracking the relationship between the theory of press control and the realities of practicing daily press censorship prior to publication, this volume on the suppression of dissent in early modern Europe tackles a topic with many elusive and under-researched characteristics. Pre-publication censorship was common in absolutist regimes in Catholic and Protestant countries alike, but how effective it was in practice remains open to debate. The Netherlands and England, where critical content segued into outright lampoonery, were unusual for hard-wired press freedoms that arose, respectively, from a highly competitive publishing industry and highly decentralized political institutions. These nations remained extraordinary exceptions to a rule that, for example in France, did not end until the revolution of 1789. Here, the author’s European perspective provides a survey of the varying censorship regulations in European nations, as well as the shifting meanings of ‘freedom of the press’. The analysis opens up fascinating insights, afforded by careful reading of primary archival sources, into the reactions of censors confronted with manuscripts by authors seeking permission to publish. Tortarolo sets the opinions on censorship of well-known writers, including Voltaire and Montesquieu, alongside the commentary of anonymous censors, allowing us to revisit some common views of eighteenth-century history. How far did these writers, their reasoning stiffened by Enlightenment values, promote dissident views of absolutist monarchies in Europe, and what insights did governments gain from censors’ reports into the social tensions brewing under their rule? These questions will excite dedicated researchers, graduate students, and discerning lay readers alike.

More books from Springer Netherlands

Cover of the book Coastal Towns in Transition by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Landscapes and Landforms of France by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Image-Based Geometric Modeling and Mesh Generation by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book An Ecosystem Approach to Sustainable Agriculture by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Immunology of Gastrointestinal Disease by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Red Cell Deformability and Filterability by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Simulating the Earth by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book University Rankings by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Java in the 14th Century by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Intelligent Textiles and Clothing for Ballistic and NBC Protection by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Continuing Higher Education and Lifelong Learning by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book History of Ophthalmology 5 by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book DNA Replication - Damage from Environmental Carcinogens by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Mosquito Ecology by Edoardo Tortarolo
Cover of the book Narrative Life by Edoardo Tortarolo
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy