Introduction
The Postal Age, a book written by David Henkin and published in 2006, gives a historical account of the revolutionary changes in communication borne by the establishment of postal services in the United States. Although the practice of passing written information from one individual or place to another through a go-between can be traced to the early days when writing came to the fore, the establishment of postal services took place much later. In this interesting read, The Postal Age, Henkin examines the chain of events that led to the burgeoning of postal services, and how this was the turning point in ushering a new world of modern communication.
Main Ideas
One of the central ideas in the book, The Postal Age, is the fact that spread of the postal services was necessary to cater for the ever-changing communication needs. Henkin argues that the proliferation of postal services came about due to demographic shifts and increased levels of literacy. By the mid-1800s, many American people could easily read and write (Henkin 10). During the same period, a sizeable number of family members had moved to other regions of the country in search of “greener pastures”. Pressed by the need to communicate over long distances, people resorted to mail correspondence to pass personal and impersonal messages. This received a boost from the cheap postage.
However, in the early days, not everyone could afford to pay for the high postage rates. As a result, the early proliferation in the use of mail correspondence arose from the wealthy customers, business exigencies, franking privileges and cunning subterfuges (Henkin 20). The high costs locked out many potential customers. This restricted most Americans to use mail for short distances, and for communicating on exceptional occasions (Henkin 20). However, the situation radically changed in the 1845 when the congress revamped the postal scale. Under the new terms, letters would be charged on the basis of their weight, and at reduced prices (Henkin 21). The new development had a massive impact on the spread on the postal services across the country; many people could now afford to communicate through mail correspondence. As a result, the postal network opened up opportunities for communication over long distances, and people easily adjusted to the new development. Although the current generation may not fully appreciate the importance of postal networks, the postal age initiated revolutionary cultural shifts which laid the ground for the interconnectedness enjoyed today.
The civil war and the gold rush were phenomenal in promoting the use of mail correspondence. Many people found it extremely necessary to keep in touch with relatives in distant locales. This was long before the telephony and telegraphy technologies came into the picture. By the 1840s and the 1850s, the mail system had become popular, and a part of everyday life. People scheduled and anticipated correspondence with family members, social contacts and commercial partners (Henkin 38). This development led to faster spread of information over long distances. The postal services also catalyzed the demand for printed news. The postal service allowed free delivery of newspapers and magazines to people who had subscribed to the service. After the civil war, the United States went through an enormous growth in magazines and newspapers. This made sure that the audiences from different corners of the country had the same information. People in the city and the rural areas could keep up with the political events of the nation and understand the working of the country’s economy. The delivery of dailies, weeklies and monthlies, facilitated sharing of knowledge regardless of the geographic location within the country. Consequently, the postal service was phenomenal in ensuring easy access of information, and in aiding the growth of dailies, weeklies and other forms of the printed press.
During this period, the postal system also made postcards relatively inexpensive. The cost of postcards reduced to one penny per card. Smart advertisers used the postcards as an opportunity to market their goods and services. Postcards could now be used, as a means, to reach out to thousands of potential customers. The use of the postal service was also influential in the presidential campaigns. People would write on papers promoting a certain presidential candidate, and this became a new avenue for mass advertising. This strategy was successful during, and after, the civil war. It is also essential to note that other auxiliary business arose to serve the postal service chain. For example, people selling letter sheets and envelopes could now accrue significant profits, and build respectable businesses. Businesses in the printing press and paper technology also benefited immensely from the expanded postal network. As new users got used to the novel products that came with the cheap postage, there were subtle changes taking place in experience of communication (Henkin 38). Within a short period, the postal service had transformed the country from a collection of small communities to a united country. Delivery of correspondence to millions of people spread all over the country.
The postal network also facilitated the growth of infrastructure, directly and indirectly. Consequently, the postal service contributed to the quality of the transport infrastructure enjoyed during that period. Canals and the railroads helped to bring many people into close contact. The postal network took advantage of the novel transport networks to expand into new areas. The expansion framework led to hiring of a higher number of staff to handle the increased customer requests. With time, the speed and efficiency of delivery rose to appreciable levels. The postal service could now concentrate, on greater volumes, to drive their business. This is a sharp contrast to the earlier periods when they concentrated, on high postage rates, to sustain themselves. Within the same period, the speed of delivery reduced as the postal service sought innovative ways to deal with unnecessary delays. For example, the postal service contracted the railroads in the 1830s to transport mail. This was a shift from the past whereby they relied on the use of steamships- the steamships could not access some specific regions of the nation due to lack of navigable rivers. The use of railroads made the postal service ship more mails by the train than all the other means combined.
Expansion of the postal system coincided with the transformation of the economy to an industrial one. Therefore, the postal service catalyzed the creation of consumption communities. People could rely, on effective communication, to get the supply of goods and services they needed. Manufacturers and service providers would in turn advertise their services on newspapers to get the attention of their potential customers. With time, people could concentrate on their core business because of guaranteed market for their goods and services, and supply of the products they lacked due to the existence of a robust communication network. Although these gains could appear to be small, this was a substantial transformation by the standards of that period.
Critical Analysis
Although the importance of postal services in the emergence of modern communication could not be downplayed, the author leaves out complementary technologies, which facilitated the growth of modern communication. For example, the use of telephones and the telegraph, which arose in the 19th century, gets a little mention in the author’s book. Historians agree that telephony and telegraphy were phenomenal inventions that changed the course of mankind. Both inventions laid the ground for the modern communication means enjoyed today. Also, the growth of postal services could not be distinguished without the innovation of useful appliances like the printing press, and the paper technology.
All in all, readers cannot be lost on the fact that the proliferation of postal service shaped the future of modern communication. As Henkin argues, the shifts developing from the use of postal services laid the foundation for the modern telecommunication industry. The burgeoning postal network also had a significant impact on the country’s economy. For example, expansion of the postal network facilitated the development of quality road network. It also prompted the development of improved advertising technologies aimed at reaching mass audiences. Finally, the postal services were also phenomenal in facilitating the sharing of news, and other pertinent information. People with access to local newspapers and magazines could understand what was happening on the national scale without having to rely on ineffectual information.
Works Cited
Henkin, David M. The Postal Age: The Emergence of Modern Communications in Nineteenth-Century America. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2006. Print.
