Module 1: Modernization in Afghanistan

Modernization in Afghanistan

The period between the Saur Revolution of 1978 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was a time of profound upheaval and conflict, as Afghanistan struggled to balance ambitious modernization efforts with deeply entrenched traditionalism. The Saur Revolution, led by the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), overthrew the government of Mohammad Daoud Khan and established a socialist state. The PDPA sought to implement sweeping reforms, including land redistribution (taking land from huge landlords and giving it to peasants), universal education, and the promotion of women's rights. These changes were part of a broader effort to modernize Afghanistan and align it with socialist ideals, inspired by the Soviet model of development. However, the rapid pace of reform clashed with the country’s conservative and tribal social structure, where loyalty to warlords, religious leaders, and local traditions remained strong.

The PDPA's policies were met with resistance in rural areas, where the majority of Afghans lived. Traditionalist elements, including tribal leaders and Islamic clerics, viewed the government's reforms as an attack on their authority and way of life. The regime’s promotion of socialism and rejection of the theocracy ingrained in Afghan society reactionary and conservative elements in Afghanistan. For example, the PDPA’s efforts to improve women’s rights, such as banning forced marriages and increasing access to education, were seen by many as an affront to deeply rooted cultural norms.  In Afghani cities and towns, there was a flowering of culture and development, but forces in the countryside bristled at this modernist intrusion.

By late 1979, Afghanistan was struggling with the rise of armed warlords, who were supplied by the United States with advanced weaponry.  The PDPA regime was losing control of some of the more rural regions of the country. The government’s inability to consolidate power, combined with its reliance on Soviet support for development and military aid, led to increasing Soviet concern about the regime’s survival.  As the United States continued to provide weapons and money to the rebels, the Soviets worried that Afghanistan woudl decend into chaos.