The Protestant Reformation and its Transformation of Society: The Rise of the Vernacular

A distinct feature of the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther’s intentional use of German, the primary vernacular language of the Holy Roman Empire, rather than Latin, in his writings. We provide empirical evidence that the reformers’ reliance on the vernacular had far-reaching consequences for the market of ideas at the city level, as it enabled a much broader share of the populace to participate in the consumption, creation, and dissemination of printed information. We document a significant increase in the printing of vernacular works after the start of the Reformation. In addition, the increased use of the vernacular expanded the ranks of authors, increased the supply of works from authors with a non-elite background, and widened the thematic coverage of printed works. Finally, the Reformation led to the rise of German schools, initiating a switch from Latin to German in the domain of education.