During various historical periods, paper has played a crucial role in the state-building process. Its invention and the subsequent development of paper-based bureaucracies enabled more efficient administration, record-keeping, communication, and governance. Paper facilitated the spread of knowledge, the codification of laws, and the documentation of transactions, all of which are essential for the functioning of centralized states.
While silk, sugar, and opium were significant in their own rights—contributing to trade, economic power, and sometimes conflict—paper's impact on administrative practices and literacy directly influenced state organization and management.
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