Long term realities

Social and political factors

 

Kronach, Germany, 1945
Source: National Archives and Records Administration
Thanks also to WWII Multimedia Database

Property of all kinds, perhaps especially cultural property, depends crucially on a supportive social and political environment. As we all know, wars and social unrest frequently result in collections and buildings being destroyed. Due to their inherent durability and also their portability many actual cultural objects have survived, and continue to do so.

It is a different story for digital cultural material. Although it could be highly portable - an external hard drive or a few CD ROMs - is it likely that this would happen?

Of course, digital materials can be replicated - mirror sites and copies can be deposited around the globe - and this could be a strength. However, many of them depend on the intimate knowledge possessed by their creators and custodians, and they certainly need their detailed documentation. If political stability is a concern then these requirements might be borne in mind.

Digital materials also have one more crucial requirement for their use and realisation, strongly politically influenced - a stable electricity supply.