In Gutenberg's time, most people did not have access to formal education systems. Education was primarily reserved for the wealthy and the elite, and the majority of the population, especially in rural areas, remained illiterate.
Socioeconomic factors:
Poverty, class distinctions, and limited social mobility made it difficult for many people to prioritize education. The education was a luxury that most could not afford.
Limited availability of books:
Prior to the invention of the printing press, books were few and expensive to produce. They were often handwritten by scribes, making their production slow and costly. This limited the number of books available and contributed to the high rates of illiteracy.
Focus on practical skills:
For many people, daily survival and manual labor took precedence over the acquisition of literacy skills. They prioritized practical skills necessary for their occupations and livelihoods.
Legal and social barriers:
In some cases, there were legal and social restrictions that prevented certain groups of people, such as women and serfs, from receiving an education.
These factors combined to create a society in which literacy was not universal and was concentrated among the privileged classes.