The spread of democracy from its roots in medieval England parallels, and likely results largely from, the rise of mass communication technologies. The Magna Carta, which famously articulated the rights of ordinary people not to be unjustly imprisoned, was penned in 1215 and signed by King John.[184] Yet for most of the Middle Ages, commoners’ rights were often ignored and political participation was minimal. This changed with Gutenberg’s invention of the movable-type printing press around 1440, and with its rapid adoption the educated classes were able to spread both news and ideas with far
...more
