Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D Student, International Relations, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
The fate of Afghanistan, shaped by domestic conflicts, regional power rivalries, and great power confrontations, has remained precarious. Even after the political agreements reached at the 2001 Bonn Conference and the fundamental changes that followed the U.S. military attacks, Afghanistan struggled to establish a stable and inclusive national government. Following the September 11 attacks and the subsequent American military intervention, some constructive steps were taken toward building a nation-state, and for the first time, Afghanistan experienced a relatively democratic system. However, the continuation of war, a fragile political situation, shaky legitimacy, the activities of extremist groups and drug mafias, the presence of foreign forces, and the competition among regional and international powers collectively undermined the governments formed under the Bonn Agreement. These factors hindered the establishment of security, political stability, and a genuinely representative national government. While the causes of Afghanistan’s crisis are numerous and complex, the present study focused on examining the domestic challenges and key influential factors that shape the country’s current situation.
Literature Review
In their article “Social Challenges of Modern State-Building in Afghanistan” Sardarnia and Hosseini (2013) used a sociological causal explanation method to examine the fragility of the state. They consider social obstacles and challenges as the most significant factors hindering state-building and the establishment of an inclusive and strong government in Afghanistan. In the Persian-language book titled American Nation-Building: Comparing Iraq and Afghanistan (2019), Balkhi focused on the efforts to build a nation-state in Afghanistan. He attributes the weakening and failure of these efforts to the intellectual conflicts and political attitudes particular of technocrats educated in the West, which clash with local values, elites, and politicians. In State Without a Nation: A Critique of the Structure of the Political System in Afghanistan, Badakhshani (2023) contends that the Afghan government has failed to establish a central and strong authority and has never been able to become an institution reflecting the country’s social composition. Contrary to the previous studies, the present research provides a general analysis and evaluation of domestic challenges and the relevant influential factors.
Materials and Methods
The current research employed a descriptive–analytical method and library research. The analysis included materials such scholarly articles, books, and authentic reports. Moreover, the study relied on the fragile state theory to identify the factors and components that contribute to the fragility and inefficiency of the Afghan government. Specifically, it highlighted how ethnic, identity, cultural, and political tensions—along with a weak economy, corruption, and fragile political legitimacy—had undermined the government’s capacity for nation-state building, security, policymaking, and engagement with the international community.
Results and Discussion
Although the course of events and developments of the past twenty years (2001-2021) held out some hope for the formation of a national and inclusive state in Afghanistan, the country has not been able to establish a stable and inclusive national state, despite the fundamental changes it has witnessed in recent years in the field of state-nation building, redefinition of political, economic, and institutional structures. Several domestic challenges are involved, such as ethnic fragmentation, religious divisions, ideological conflicts, widespread poverty and illiteracy, shaky political legitimacy, and ineffective foreign policy. These factors have fueled rivalries, animosities, reconciliation attempts, and unbalanced approaches centered on the power and interests of domestic actors—such as the republican regime, the Taliban, irresponsible armed groups, and mafia groups. There are even more key factors contributing to the failure of post-Bonn governments both domestically and internationally. These factors include political fragility; the republican regime’s weakness in managing and organizing state institutions, enforcing laws, overseeing elections, ensuring political participation, and curbing corruption and anarchy within judicial and executive bodies; and finally ethnic rivalries and antagonisms among the heads of governments.
Conclusion
During the two decades between 2001 and 2021, Afghanistan was unable to take advantage of the opportunities created by the 2001 Bonn Conference to establish a system based on the will and aspirations of its people. Despite international support and cooperation from some regional countries, Afghanistan has not succeeded in establishing a truly national and inclusive government capable of addressing the needs of Afghanistan’s heterogonous society, weak economy, fragmented social fabric, and tense geopolitical conditions. The findings further indicate that Afghanistan has faced numerous and complex challenges; however, the most critical domestic challenges to building a national government are ethnic and religious divisions, ideological conflicts, shaky political legitimacy, cultural and economic poverty, and ineffective foreign policy. Driven by actors such as the republican regime, the Taliban, irresponsible armed groups, and drug mafia, these challenges have undermined Afghanistan’s efforts in nation-building, security, policymaking, and relations with the international community.
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Main Subjects
In Persian
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