Agitators of early print age live on in digital era influencers
An exhibition at Scotland's national library explores how 17th century political texts paved the way for today's digital social media influencers
THEY were 'armed' with primitive printing presses rather than smartphones, but these analogue agitators were the social media influencers of their day.
Their technology may be centuries apart, of course, but these two groups share a common 'gift for the gab'; those aren't the only similarities, either, suggests a new exhibition.
Encountering Political Texts, taking place at the National Library of Scotland (NLS), in Edinburgh, sets out to explore those similarities. As the title makes clear, the focus gets more than a little political.
The exhibition began life as a research project – Experiencing Political Texts – led by Professor Rachel Hammersley, and Dr Katie East, both of Newcastle University's School of History, Classics & Archaeology.
Spirit of the age
In their research, they explored texts published between the years 1500 and 1800; an era that witnessed an explosion of printing technology – akin to our age's digital revolution – that led to profound social, cultural, political, and economic changes.
In a sense – a very real sense – they helped pave the way for the birth of modernity; shifting humanity towards a world where the digital could take root and flourish. Without these analogue-age agitators, you might say, there never would have been the social media influencer of today.
“Innovation in how political ideas are presented – and consumed – is not new, and the early modern period saw much experimentation as authors sought not just to inform audiences, but to entertain and often stimulate them into taking action,” said Hammersley.
“In many ways – and as our research highlighted – concerns about the credibility of some social media influencers today are not dissimilar to early criticisms of coffee houses, and those who used them as venues for platforming their views despite not having any perceived knowledge of the subject.”
The research project brought together historians and digital humanities specialists, along with members of the public, librarians and archivists. The purpose of their gathering was to discuss issues such as whether the documents were credible and reliable sources of information, given the explosion in printing technology at the time, and what this said about an author’s authority.
Participants also talked about the methods by which political ideas were communicated, and how there were some similarities between concerns over modern social media influencers and bloggers and the criticisms of the discussions in coffee houses in the 17th century.
Text in time
The exhibition showcases original editions of early modern political texts, and compares them with modern print and digital versions.
This juxtaposition is intended to encourage visitors to think about the ways they are exposed to political messages today, and how attitudes towards the content can be influenced by how they are experienced.
Previous research has traditionally focused on what historical political texts said, rather than how information was delivered and engaged with.
The Experiencing Political Texts project aimed to better understand how early modern political texts could be read, and presented to modern audiences – as well as the similarities and differences in how modern political information is disseminated and stimulates calls to action.
Not all early modern political texts were lengthy books; a wide range of different techniques were used in the 17th and 18th centuries, with many authors using humour, satire and fiction, as well as formats such as plays and songs – often set to well-known tunes, with the words displayed on large posters in public places.
The period also saw the increasing use of newsbooks (the forerunner of the modern newspaper), and pamphlets (which often focussed on a single issue), both of which were becoming cheaper as a result of innovations in printing. This allowed larger numbers of people, even those with limited literacy, to engage with political ideas.
Some texts were also specifically designed to be read aloud at venues such as coffee houses. If someone disagreed with something they’d heard or read in a pamphlet they could just print their own – often, regardless of their expertise on the subject.
The more things change...
This led to criticisms at the time of some authors imposing their views on others to serve their own self-interest. Little change there, then, as the exhibition seeks to illustrate.
For modern audiences taking part in the study, this raised parallels with modern media ownership; namely the issue of who had the power and authority over what information was shared. The modern notions of 'gatekeeping' and 'platforming (or 'cancelling') people is nothing new; accessing the means to partake in debate is as old as the printing press, at the very least.
According to Hammersley and her team, one example of how authors in the 17th and 18th centuries dealt with such issues was by varying the price and availability according to who the intended audience was.
In one notable case, leading radical, Newcastle-born Thomas Spence, sought to share his political ideas with a wide audience not only through published pamphlets, but also tokens, songs, and even graffiti.
Periodical publications were also one of the success stories of the age, and the number of titles increased rapidly. Their regular format, short articles and relatively low cost made them accessible to a wider audience than just the political elite – including women and tradesmen.
While part of their purpose was to entertain, the content often included a moral, political or philosophical dimension, and readers would regularly keep or share copies.
Hammersley explores the research, and the issues it raises, on her blog. The exhibition itself, opened in December at the NLS, and runs until 18 April 2024.
She added: “I hope visitors to the exhibition will think about how we experience different formats, how it influences our interpretation of the information the texts contain, and the questions it raises about how political ideas and news are communicated today.”
MC