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'Saikal's contribution to our understanding and analysis of modern Afghanistan post 9/11 is a very important one.' -International Affairs 'Fascinating...if you want an insider's interpretation of modern Afghanistan (and one that is remarkably free from one-sided ideology), this is an excellent primer.' -Sydney Morning Herald 'authoritative' -The Middle East Magazine 'Excellent and lucid' -Peter Avery, King's College Cambridge
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The treacherous mountain passes and blasted desert plains of Afghanistan have been the graveyard of every would-be conquering army since the days of Alexander the Great. With America, Britain and NATO committed to a long-term political and military engagement there, it is imperative to understand the country's complex and bloody history. Afghanistan emerged in the mid-eighteenth century from the collapse of the Persian Safavid Empire and the decline of the Mughal dynasty in India. The nineteenth century saw the country ravaged by the rivalry of warring elites, and their great power supporters. In recent times, Afghanistan has experienced the Soviet invasion of 1979, the Pakistan-backed internal conflict of the 1990s, the Taliban regime and then the US invasion after the catastrophe of 9/11. Today, whilst the US-backed government is struggling to expand its control beyond Kabul, narco-warlords, jihadists and Western troops fight out the battle for control of this strategically vital country. Why has Afghanistan's course of development been so turbulent? Why does it remain so vulnerable to domestic instability, foreign intervention and ideological extremism? In reconstructing the tempestuous narrative of modern Afghanistan, Amin Saikal provides a sweeping new understanding of its troubled past. He identifies the country's inability to develop stable political structures as stemming from the inter-dynastic rivalry (exacerbated by polygamy) that scarred successive royal families from the end of the eighteenth century until the pro-Communist coup of April 1978. Outside interventions further weakened the country internally, preventing socio-economic development and leaving the country ripe for the politics of ideological extremism. "Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival" is the definitive study of Afghanistan and its troubles. It will be vital reading for all those who are interested in the changing politics of the Middle East and Central Asia.
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RARE IS THE COUNTRY that has sustained as many blows, and such hard blows, as has Afghanistan since its foundation as a distinct political unit in 1747. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
RARE IS THE COUNTRY that has sustained as many blows, and such hard blows, as has Afghanistan since its foundation as a distinct political unit in 1747. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A politically relevant history of Afghanistan,
By
This review is from: Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival (Paperback)
Saikal's "Modern Afghanistan" has several merits that make it stand out among numerous other books about Afghanistan's history:
1. Unlike most Western histories it draws extensively on Russian-language and indigenous Afghan sources, usually ignored by Western scholars 2. It starts with the creation of Afghanistan, moves quickly to the 20th century, and analyses the different political movements that emerged in the last century in considerable detail, and with a refreshing neutrality. 3. Instead of focusing on Afghanistan as a playground of external powers in the 'Great Game', Saikal emphasizes the role of indigenous political forces, without denying the major role played by foreign interference. 4. It is a very readable book, written by an Afghan (for a change) and firmly based on research What I don't find convincing is the theoretical framework he uses. For example, when insisting that one of the main three variables that shaped Afghan history is 'royal polygamy' it turns out that in fact the problem is the lack of a stable and generally accepted system to transfer power to the heirs (a succession system), not polygamy per se. Altogether I find it an extremely relevant book to understand the internal politics of Afghanistan today, and I strongly recommend it.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review) 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN INSIDER'S HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN,
By WAYNE YUNGHANS "WORDMAN" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival (Paperback)
Modern Afghanistan
Most books about Afghanistan, are written from the perspective of an informed outsider. Often times this is someone with significant academic experience and even some time on the ground, in country. An argument could be made that the outsider's perspective is a good thing - and has its advantages. Someone who has not experienced the violence that has characterized much of Afghanistan's recent history (1970s to date) is not as personally invested in the events, and can therefore approach the subject more objectively. Again: outsiders are less likely to be subject to ethnic bias, than are those that hail from within those ethnic groups. For all that, however, something has to be said for the advantages of the insider. Some kinds of knowledge are only gained by one who as actually lived the events about which they write. The author of this book falls into the latter category. Modern Afghanistan is a book about Afghan history, from an insider's viewpoint. The author suggests, up front that "virtually all western scholarly works [on Afghanistan] overlooked some fundamental issues". He numbers these issues as three, and structures his book accordingly. The issues are these: "the dynamic interactive relationship which had evolved between the factors of royal polygamy, major power rivalry and ideological extremism in heavily influencing the evolution of the modern Afghan state ever since its foundation in 1747". The author presents that history broken down chronologically according to Afghanistan's successive rulers. Because of this, it is a history of Afghanistan's elite. Perhaps another example of the fact that history is written by the winners. As for what the author promises: the book promises much and delivers some. I say that because while I found good information, the book did not contain for me the great revelation that the author promised at the outset. When compared to other books on the subject. Saikal's book is a good compliment to Barnett Rubin's "The Fragmentation of Afghanistan" or Oliver Roy's "Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan". It is similar in scope, content and style to both of those, but does provide a somewhat different perspective. For those wishing to understand the background history of afghanistan, this book is well worth the time and effort invested to read it. |
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