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Interfaces: Communication Technologies and Societal Development

                The new printing technology introduced by Johannes Gutenberg in the late 15^th century was instrumental for the survival and success of the "Reformation", and for all aspects of societal development and reform during the second half of the previous millennium. Based on this recognition, a panel of journalists declared Gutenberg "Man of the Millennium".

                When Martin Luther hammered his "propositions" for a far-reaching church reform to the door of the castle church of Wittenberg on October 31^st in 1517, it was the beginning of "Reformation", and of a new era. Unlike others before him who had thought and expressed similar ideas, Luther was not burnt on the stake. He went on to teach, write, stand up for his beliefs and enjoy life. It turned out that he had become the initiator and focal point of a new way of thinking. Scholars believe that Luther's and his supporters' ability to make optimal use of available communication technologies, including Gutenberg's new invention, was the most decisive factor for the break-through of his ideas.

                In order to make the words of the gospel understandable to the public, Luther translated the Bible from Latin to a commonly understood, standardized German language (which he first had to develop based on his studies of spoken dialects). One of his friends in Wittenberg, the painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, a "renaissance man" in the truest sense of the word, became the first printer and publisher to distribute Luther's "democratized" version of the Bible on a large scale. The subsequent demand for printed bibles and pamphlets created a strong momentum for the further spread of Gutenberg's invention throughout Europe and the world.

                Communication technologies inspire societal development, and vice versa. At the threshold of the new millennium, Bill Gates addresses the impact of the printing technology on societal development and reform, draws parallels and presents his visions regarding the role and potential of electronic media at the threshold of the new millennium. His article is entitled "Beyond Gutenberg - The World in 2000" (The Economist, Nov. 1999).

                Using all suitable tools from the box of available communication technologies, old and new, in creative combinations, is a key feature of the Wittenberg Academy concept. WA applies this concept in training and operational research to support organizations and individuals seeking to optimize their contribution towards societal goals.

© Wittenberg Academy, 2000