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by ahmeneeroe-v2 327 days ago
"modern passport not existing in past" ≠ "free human movement"

borders have largely had guards, who had no obligation to let people through, or even to treat them fairly and not rob them. frontiers had bandits who existed solely to prey on travelers.

even if you could move to a different settlement, you did not have the same legal rights as citizens of that city.

the "modern passport" has done more for free human movement than anything that came before.
1 comments
csomar 327 days ago
Cities had guards. There was no border pre-1900 because there was no tech to enforce it. If you moved from one place to another, you were mostly at the whims of thieves and pirates.
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Alupis 327 days ago
Pre-1900? Are you aware of how many wars were fought around the world just in the 1800's regarding border and territory disputes?
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ahmeneeroe-v2 327 days ago
Insanely misinformed.

What kind of tech do you imagine is needed? Have you heard of Hadrian's Wall? The Great Wall of China?

Or more generally: forts, outposts, coastal batteries, scouts, patrols?

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9rx 327 days ago
> What kind of tech do you imagine is needed?

Agriculture, at very least. Before we created that tech you'd be way too busy trying to find something to eat to have time to stand around defending artificial borders. 1900 BCE mightn't be perfectly accurate, but close enough for a stupid comment on the internet.

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codetrotter 327 days ago
> 1900 BCE

Nothing in the comment that we are talking about indicates that "pre-1900" is referring to 1900 BCE. It sounds squarely like it's referring to 1900 AD to me. Which is why people are saying it's ridiculous.

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9rx 327 days ago
> It sounds squarely like it's referring to 1900 AD to me.

What part of "If you moved from one place to another, you were mostly at the whims of thieves and pirates." suggests 1900 CE to you? Have you never looked at a history book?

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codetrotter 327 days ago
There was plenty of pirates around still in the 1800s AD. Aka "pre-1900" AD.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy

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joecool1029 327 days ago
Do you think they will be shocked to find out color wasn't invented in the 1900's?
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bigfishrunning 327 days ago
It has always existed in the merry old land of Oz.
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