📱 eBook en inglés THE PAPER CAGE

"The Paper Cage – How a booklet transformed humans into property of the state" investigates the invention of the modern passport. Before World War I, a traveler could cross almost any border in Europe without papers. The passport was considered a temporary wartime measure to catch spies, but governments realized it was the ultimate tool for controlling their population and never abolished it.
Political historian Jacob Vance explains how the concept of "citizenship" shifted from a right to a permission slip. The book details the plight of the "stateless" in the 20th century—people who technically ceased to exist because they lacked the right stamp. It explores the technology of identification, from wax seals to biometric chips.
"The Paper Cage" challenges the idea that freedom of movement is natural. It shows that we live in a world where our very humanity is tethered to a small booklet, and how the state claimed ownership over our physical location.