Government and Society in Afghanistan : : The Reign of Amir ‘Abd al-Rahman Khan / / Hasan Kawun Kakar.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter University of Texas Press Complete eBook-Package Pre-2000
• VerfasserIn: Kakar, Hasan Kawun,
• Place / Publishing House: Austin : : University of Texas Press, , [2021]; ©1979
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource

This is an authoritative study of the administrative, social, and economic structure of Afghanistan during a decisive stage in its history. The period covered—the reign of the "Iron" Amir Rahman Khan—was in many ways the beginning of modern Afghanistan as a cohesive nation. Although Afghanistan had emerged as an entity in 1747, it was actually under the Amir that its borders were established, its internal unification completed, and the modern concept of nationhood implanted. Kakar approaches this complex process by taking into consideration both the internal and the external forces that influenced its development. Thus, modernization, centralization, and nationalization are seen as both defensive reactions to European imperialism and necessary preconditions to capital formation and, consequently, industrialization. The first part of the book covers the government of the Amir, from the personality of the ruler down to the operation of his new bureaucrats at the local level. Here Kakar presents a comprehensive treatment of the Afghan system of taxation and local government. The second part views these economic and social institutions from the perspective of the major segments of the populace—nomads, townsmen, tribes, women, slaves, landowners, mullahs, merchants, and so forth.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- Note on Transcription -- Introduction -- Chapter I The Central Government: 1 -- Chapter II The Central Government: 2 -- Chapter III The Local Government -- Chapter IV The System of Taxation -- Chapter V The Army -- Chapter VI Social Structure: 1 -- Chapter VII Social Structure: 2 -- Chapter VIII Economic Structure: 1 -- Chapter IX Economic Structure: 2 -- Conclusion -- Appendix -- Note on Sources -- Notes -- Abbreviations Used in the Notes -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index