Bibles and the commons: an exploration of printing privileges in the Dutch Republic

In this essay, I explore the history of printing privileges for the so-called Statenvertaling (1637), a famous translation of the Old and New Testaments into Dutch that would have an unprecedented impact on Dutch national identity and the Dutch language for centuries to come. I will show how the privileges for the States Bible must be situated within a broader ensemble of political and economic power games, and thus provide an entry point to think about the responsible governance of the commons, as an example of how and when collective action can be effective.