Yes, having it on paper is a major legal advantage when your legal disputes are settled in Western Courts. Now even there a  verbal contract is a legally valid contract - it's just hard to prove the contents. In theory witness statements should have swung the case, but unfortunately it's quite easy for those with wealth and power to get any number of witnesses who will say whatever they want them to say. 
Nevertheless- the problem was with proving ownership, not with *lack* of ownership as the original comment alleged. A verbal contract is still a legal contract, and a gift is still a legal transfer of ownership. Even westerners use this system all the time. Surely you don't include a tax invoice every time you buy a relative a birthday present?  But no sane judge will take your side if you try to take that present back the next day.