PUBLISHING AND THE INTELLECTUAL SYSTEM

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Band 421, S. 1-13

Abstract

PUBLISHING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TOTAL INTELLECTUAL SYSTEM OF ANY NATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIP OF CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL MATTERS. PUBLISHERS ARE VERY MUCH INFLUENCED BY CURRENTS IN THEIR SOCIETIES. SUCH FACTORS AS LEVELS OF LITERACY, HABITS OF BOOK PURCHASING, LIBRARIES, COPYRIGHT REGULATIONS, & BOOKSTORES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE NATURE OF PUBLISHING & THE BOOK INDUSTRY. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT CONSUMER OF BOOKS, IS CRUCIAL TO PUBLISHING. IN INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS, WHERE LEVELS OF LITERACY ARE HIGH, IT IS LIKELY THAT PUBLISHING WILL BE HIGHLY DEVELOPED ALTHOUGH IT IS UNDER INCREASING ATTACK FROM TV & OTHER MASS MEDIA. IN THE THIRD WORLD, THE MASS MEDIA ARE NOT HIGHLY DEVELOPED & BOOKS HAVE A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ROLE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE THE BROADER ELEMENTS OF THE MODERN INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY IN DISCUSSING PUBLISHING; BOOKS CONTINUE TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY & OF THE CULTURE IN GENERAL. 1 FIGURE. HA.