Situation in Afghanistan over last decades could be assessed as tough confrontation among national elites in searching for a state building formula that could bring in terms the interests of all ethnic and social groups of the population.

The situation has been significantly complicated by complex intra ethnic relations as well as tense relations inside each individual ethnic group; by the society’s deep backwardness and remnants of tribalism; by disproportions in economic development of the regions etc.

All these circumstances have put obstacles in the way of political and socio-economic reforms with different ideological colorations. The Afghan elites’ inability to draw up a common platform for that country’s socio-economic development had resulted in political failure of reforms undertaken in the 1920s, as well as similar attempts by royal and then republican regimes in mid-1950s – late 1970s. The bankruptcy found its further and most controversial indication after in 1978 the Democratic People’s Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came to power with the intention “to build up a society free from exploitation of man by man”.

Islam has continued to play specific political role in the Afghan society remaining in essence (amid deep-rooted national traditions) a principal nation-wide ideological background, confronting efforts to modernize the country and the society.

We witness the similar picture now too. Different visions of Afghanistan’s future State system is the principal disagreement between central authorities in Kabul and its armed opposition. Kabul is in favor of Republican form of governance, with three branches of power – (strong) presidency, a subordinated government, and a parliament. With the historic specificity in mind, role of Islam in nation’s social and political life is significantly provided for as well. The Taliban Movement’s aim is to create a theocratic regime in form of an “Islamic Emirate” and Muslim law (Sharia) as a basis of whole political, juridical and civil institutions.