Novikova Olga Nikolaevna – Ph.D. in History, Head of the Department of Europe and America INION RAS
The world is witnessing an increase in authoritarian tendencies. In Afghanistan, a special hybrid type of regime, democratic authoritarianism, was created through the efforts of the international coalition. The establishment of such a regime was not part of the plans of coalition members, who were aiming at building a liberal democratic state. But this project failed, and not because of the Taliban’s military victory, but much earlier. Not only did the Americans and their coalition allies largely ignore the country’s history and culture, but the foreign-built regime was not perceived as legitimate by the Afghans, which was the main obstacle to the country’s democratization. This article examines instrumental legitimacy, which «buys» obedience to the regime by meeting needs of the population; and a traditional, more substantive understanding of legitimacy that is underpinned by shared values and a belief in legality. The Taliban have succeeded in creating some substantive legitimacy by drawing on Islamic principles and traditional values: for example, the Taliban have successfully built legitimacy by ensuring that conflicts are resolved in an accessible, quick and fair manner in sharia courts. Talibs have succeeded in providing services to the population to a certain extent, although not at the proper level due to the disastrous economic situation of the country. At the same time, after the Taliban came to power, the situation of women and girls deteriorated, and measures were introduced to suppress their autonomy and equality. Inter-ethnic relations have not been harmonized, there is no ethnic or religious balance in key ministerial staff. There is no sign of work on a new constitution. The authoritarian features of the regime have intensified.
Afghanistan, Taliban, democratization, democratic authoritarianism, legitimacy, interethnic relations, sharia courts
Download text