The book traces a long, hard-won campaign to free literature from costly taxes that blocked knowledge. It presents a clear, documentary history of how the state’s rules and duties hindered newspapers and books, and how reform finally came about.
This volume foregrounds the origin and repeal of the taxes on knowledge in Britain, detailing a 143-year struggle that touched publishers, writers, and readers alike. Guided by careful research, it shows how campaigns were organized, the legal battles fought, and the people who persisted to open access to information.
- A moving account of the origins of press taxes and their impact on publishers and readers
- Profiles of key figures and organizations who pressed for repeal
- A step-by-step look at the legislative and political process involved
- Context for how free access to books and newspapers shaped modern journalism
Ideal for readers of journalism history, library science, and anyone curious about how public access to information was won.