Inquisitions and Scholarship

Abstract

Inquisitors engaged in mass censorship across the Iberian and Italian peninsulas; however, the effect it had on scholarship is debated. To test the effect of inquisitorial control a database of more than 2,000 top-tier mathematicians, scientists, authors, artists, and composers was created for 16 European countries from 1000 to 1749. Italy and Iberia had large declines of high-level scholars shortly after the establishment of the inquisitions. In contrast, other countries—both Protestant and Catholic—had increases in top-level scholars. Even though other countries had book burnings, religious persecution, and intolerance, the presence of an institution that became intolerant and oppressive significantly impacted the location of scientists and other top achievers throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

La censura inquisitorial en las Centurias de Amatus Lusitanus

“…A discussion is still being held whether the Inquisition had a significant influence in the production and import of science in the countries of Southern Europe, hindering their scientific development. Despite the lack of a causal link between the censorship of scientific works and the much discussed "Portuguese decay" after the glorious "time of the Discoveries", which has been pointed by some authors (Correia and Dias, 2003;Leitão, 2004), there is at least a correlation: according to a recent systematic study of scholars in various areas in several places, including Portugal, presented by Anderson (2015), the Inquisition did not favour scientific scholarship in the places it had power, being a factor, mixed with others, which contributed to the referred division. He concluded his study writing: "The Inquisition drastically decreased the number of scholars living in their areas and was a highly exclusive and exploitative institution.…”

Numeracy of Religious Minorities in Spain and Portugal During the Inquisition Era

“…In a quantitative study, Vidal-Robert (2014) finds that inquisitorial activity had a negative impact on economic development, which he proxies by population growth, until the second half of the 19 th century. Anderson (2015) compares the development of what he calls «top-achievers» in countries with established Inquisitions (Italy, Spain and Portugal), most of them of Jewish origin, with other countries in which oppression was not institutionalised. His findings suggest that the Inquisition-countries experienced a significant decline in the numbers of top-tier scientists, artists, authors and composers after the Inquisition began, whereas other countries saw an increase in them.…”