The Formation of the state of Afghanistan
By: Dr. Phil.Najibullah Anwar Phil.M.A
Before Max Weber's influential definition of the modern state, the concept of the state varied significantly across different historical contexts. In classical antiquity, thinkers like Plato and Aristotle discussed the nature of political organization and governance, emphasizing ideals such as justice, the common good, and the rule of law, but not in terms of a modern bureaucratic state. During the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and Asia, states were often intertwined with religious authority, such as the authority of the church, and feudal structures. The state in these periods was often characterized by a complex interplay between secular and religious powers, with governance frequently resting on personal loyalty and hierarchical bonds rather than formalized bureaucratic institutions.
In classical antiquity, Plato's "Republic" and Aristotle's "Politics" laid foundational ideas about governance, emphasizing moral and ethical dimensions of rulership. They considered the polis, or city-state, as the primary political unit, focusing on achieving the common good through virtuous leadership and the rule of law. However, their conceptualization lacked the modern state's features of centralized authority and administrative apparatus.
It wasn't until the early modern period that the foundations of the modern state began to emerge, characterized by centralized authority, defined territorial boundaries, and a bureaucratic administration. Max Weber's definition, which emphasized the state's monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a given territory, marked a significant shift in understanding the nature of the state, distinguishing it from earlier forms of political organization.
It was only with the rise of early modern political thought in the 17th and 18th centuries that the concept of the modern state began to take shape. Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau contributed theories to the development of ideas about social contract theory, sovereignty, and the legitimacy of political authority. These ideas laid the groundwork for Max Weber's later sociological analysis of the modern state, characterized by its monopoly on legitimate violence and bureaucratic rationality.
Before modern times, the naming of territories and countries was influenced by a variety of factors, including geography, cultural heritage, historical events, and sometimes even mythology or legend, ethnic, or tribal names. Both Europe and Asia experienced similar developments in this regard.
Throughout history, Khorasan has been an important strategic region governed by various political entities. Some of the most significant independent entities that ruled Khorasan include the Achaemenid Empire, Sassanian Empire, Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates, Tahirid dynasty, Saffarid dynasty, Samanid dynasty, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuk dynasty, Khwarazmian Empire, Timurid Empire, Safavid Empire, Hotak dynasty, and Abdali dynasty. Afghanistan has always been part of an independent political entity within Khorasan, with a distinct Afghan identity. Those who identified as Seljuk, Ghaznavid, Hotak, and Abdali all had historical ties to this region. After the formation of the modern state in the 1800s, it appeared as Afghanistan.
A similar development can be observed in the history of states in Europe. For example, Italy emerged as a unified state in 1861, although Italians have existed for thousands of years, with the Roman Empire established as early as 509 BC. This demonstrates how modern nation-states often emerged much later than the historical and cultural identities of the people within those regions.
