How far is it right to say that the print culture was responsible for French Revolution. Explain.
PRINT popularised the ideas of enlightened thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau and those who read these books started questioning everything and developed critical and rational thinking. These thinkers attacked the sacred authority of the church and despotic power of the state.
All existing values, norms and institutions, which were never questioned earlier were revalued through debates and discussions by the public in print.
By 1780s, there was an outpour of literature that mocked royalty and criticised their morality. The existing social order was criticised through cartoons and caricatures. They made people aware that while common people were going through tremendous hardships, the monarchy remained absorbed in merry-making and did not care about sufferings of common people. This ultimately led to the growth of a hostile feeling against the monarchy.
In spite of these strong arguments no one claimed that these were the only reasons for the outbreak of the French Revolution.