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E96: Cycles of Civilization with Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch
"Moment of Zen"
The Interplay of Power and Literacy in Historical Contexts
The balance of power historically between government and church in Western European feudal states has facilitated greater freedoms. Charlemagne's promotion of Latin led to the establishment of monasteries and schools, reviving Latin literacy in the Frankish Empire. This trend continued into the Protestant Reformation, where the notion arose that literacy in Latin should extend beyond priests to everyone. In the early Middle Ages, however, not all priests were literate, challenging the assumption that Christianity inherently required literacy. The drastic decline of literacy from classical to medieval times, dropping from approximately 80% to as low as 1%, highlights this loss. Estimates of literacy in the Roman Empire vary, though urban areas exhibited a higher literacy rate, evidenced by graffiti and preserved letters from legionaries, suggesting that a significant portion of the population could read and write. The presence of political graffiti indicates a literate society that engaged with contemporary issues. Furthermore, the widespread communication system, including letters sent from soldiers, illustrates that at least some level of literacy was expected among the populace. Overall, examination of these historical contexts reveals the complexity of literacy's role and its fluctuation in relation to societal structures.
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