Political Islam in the Social Life of Afghanistan (Late 20th — Early 21st Centuries) P. 98-104.
UDC 297(581)«19/20»
DOI: 10.37724/RSU.2021.72.3.010
Abstract. The period investigated in the article was marred by serious upheavals in the Middle East. The situation in Afghanistan was more tragic and complicated than the situation in adjacent countries. The political commotion, the ensuing civil conflict and American intervention plunged the multinational country into political disarray. At present (since 2002) Afghanistan is a geographical location that can be tentatively called an Islamic Republic. It is characterized by ethnic fragmentation (a feudal anachronism), nominal centralized government headed by a US protégé. The government is not supported by Afghan society, there has been more than a half century of conflict which has claimed lives of many politicians, the government has been ignored by the population for several decades. The new generations of Afghan people grew under the conditions of a never-ending war, which has a gruesome impact on society. The article uses available sources on modern military, political, social, economic, ethnic and confessional situation in Afghanistan. Special attention is given to travel notes written by American and French experts R. Morey and O. Weber, who specialize in economic and humanitarian aid. The travel notes published by western media are an interpretation of official reports, but they discuss real life situations. The article also analyzes statistical reports and UN documents which describe problems and failures of the Afghan government to carry out economic and social modernization plans elaborated by American experts. It should be noted that there are depressingly few sources one can rely on when exploring modern Afghan history and the aforementioned sources meet the requirements of the article.
Keywords: Islamism, dictatorship, economy, crisis, civil conflict, expansion, western democracy.
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