A. Monarchies and Absolutism
As nation-states solidified power, monarchs used censorship to suppress political dissent and maintain control.
- Licensing of the Press: Governments required printers to obtain licenses, enabling them to regulate content.
- Political Propaganda: Censorship helped control narratives during wars, rebellions, and power struggles.
B. Notable Examples
- The English Star Chamber: From the 15th to the 17th century, the Star Chamber censored seditious writings.
- France’s Royal Censorship: The Chambre Syndicale de la Librairie regulated publishing under royal authority.
Censorship and Enlightenment Challenges
A. The Enlightenment and Free Thought
The Enlightenment championed reason, individualism, and critical inquiry, directly challenging traditional authorities.
- Philosophers like Voltaire and Rousseau criticized censorship and advocated freedom of expression.
- Despite this, many states continued strict censorship, fearing the destabilizing effects of new ideas.
B. The French Revolution
The Revolution temporarily abolished censorship, but political turmoil soon reinstated it to control revolutionary fervor and suppress counter-revolutionaries. shutdown123