Perceptions of informed Afghans on the Taliban's Islamic Emirate and the former Afghan government

Abstract

This article examines many of the Taliban's prominent positions and dynamics in the Afghan state. The Taliban has had few explicit political goals. Instead, its policies have focused on reshaping Afghan society and re‐establishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban conflicted with the Afghan Republic (2001−2021) and faced repeated administrative problems and opposition in realizing their minor political goals. They have re‐emerged in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. This article compares factors such as corruption, ethnicity, dictatorship, and politics between the Taliban and the Republic. It uses the fragile state framework to explain the continuation of the conflict in Afghanistan, analyzing historical discourse. This article primarily relies on survey data, focusing on the views of Afghan people concerning the Republic and the Taliban.