Most domestic journalism studies and interpretations about Marx’s early political essay, the Recent Book and Newspaper Inspection Order of Prussia, show a de-historicized and de86 国际新闻界 2020.09 politicized tendency. This paper, on the contrary, utilizes the methodology of “re-interpretation” with the perspective of historical materialism to excavate the historical context and theoretical development of Marx’s early thought in freedom of the press. This paper argues that Marx’s comments contain advanced thoughts of democracy and freedom, like requiring freedom of the press to pursue the truth, albeit limitation due to his own historical background influenced by Enlightenment rationality and idealism. By clarifying the misunderstanding of Marx’s early thoughts of journalism, this paper intends to rid of the myths of de-historicized and depoliticized arguments and underline freedom of the press which is people-centered and serves the development of Socialism.