Trade Printing and the Spreading of Literacy

As trade printing has been instrumental in the evolution of the written word and literacy amongst the populace. The first printers predominantly printed religious material for circulation to the lower orders of society. This process was however restricted at times as those in the upper echelons of state and church realised that knowledge was power and to hold onto this power keeping the masses illiterate was essential. Trade printing services however were not intimidated and through the centuries can be considered responsible for the spreading of literacy throughout Europe. The importance of printing in history is hard to dispute, without the early printing pioneers it is doubtful that progress would have occurred as quickly, if at all.