Typography, Power, and the Politics of Fonts

From the stone inscriptions of ancient Rome to the fonts used in government documents today, typography has long been tied to power and authority. During the reign of Emperor Augustus, epigraphic inscriptions were more than historical records: they were carefully designed tools of propaganda that helped communicate a new political order and a triumphant vision of the state. As media theorist Marshall McLuhan famously noted, “the medium is the message.”

Letterforms are never neutral. Their shapes can suggest order, stability, elegance, and power—qualities traditionally associated with authority. For centuries, rulers have understood that controlling written communication meant controlling how power was recorded, displayed, and remembered. While the spread of literacy turned writing into a broader social tool, its role in reinforcing centralized authority never disappeared.

Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, was acutely aware of this connection. He deliberately linked art, politics, and public inscriptions to project his ideology, claim divine legitimacy, celebrate military victories, and present himself as the bringer of Roman peace.

That ancient logic still resonates today. In a recent decision, the U.S. Department of State ordered a return to the Times New Roman font, replacing Calibri, which had been adopted in 2023. The department argued that Times New Roman better reflects professionalism and institutional seriousness, while Calibri was seen as overly informal. The previous administration had justified the switch to Calibri on accessibility grounds, noting that sans-serif fonts can be easier to read for some users.

The debate reveals how typography sits at the crossroads of technology, usability, and symbolism. Details such as stroke thickness, spacing, and letterforms affect readability, but they also carry cultural meaning. For supporters, Times New Roman represents tradition and continuity. Designed in the early 1930s for The Times of London, it remains one of the most widely used typefaces in official and printed documents.

From imperial Rome to modern Washington, the choice of type continues to signal more than readability. It reflects how institutions see themselves—and how they wish to be seen.