1
Introduction
Afghanistan is a land-locked country with an
important strategic and geo-political position in the
heart of Asia*
The history of country is a record of
uninterrupted conquests and absorptions extending over
a long period*
Coiamercial interests were one of the
ma^or factors in the context for supremacy among the
imperialists (Russia and B rita in ), not only in Afgha­
nistan but also in Iran* India and Central Asia*
The
backwardness, illite racy , ignorance and blind faith of
the people in those countries were the historical and
social evils on which the imperialist ana colonial
creatures thrived.
Kost dangerous and widespread
disease was the exploitation of iaan by man*
In the 19th century, the expansion of Czarist !mss la
into Central Asian region and consequent aubjugation of
the area posed a potential threat at the doors of British
Indian Frauire*
*ae British pursued a forward policy
aiming at he '.emonistic designs across the Indus to secure
tneir ncrth-v/estern flanks fron any danger of a big
rival — Czarist Russia.
This adorned the morbid sperm
of Anglo-Russlan rivalry in the region.
Russians
persistently tried to annoy the British in India*
The
British authorities chalked out their definite policy
of protecting tl^ir interests in Afghanistan not only
to c:•>interact the Czarist influence but also to secure
2
the boundaries of their Indian Empire from so-called
military menace.
The British were faced with the grim prospect of
Franco-Russian advance through the regions of West Asia.
However, the exit of Napoleon Bonaparte from the French
p o litical scene eliminated the threat for the British in
In d ia.
But the Russian danger did not abate, it rather
got aggravated as the century advanced.
This influenced
the British foreign policy, now projected into the wider
fie ld of Asian p o litic s.
In its in it ia l predicament,
Great Britain sought cooperation of Iran and Afghanistan
to present the march of hostile forces through their
territories and thereby combat the so-called mounting
menace of Russian aggression.
But soon Ir a n 's disappoint­
ment at the lack of British assistance in the hour of
danger, compelled the Shah of Iran to woo Russian support
and become a subordinate ally of the Czar.
The Government
of British India was thus left with the sole alternative
of depending on Afghanistan for the so-called security of
their Indian empire.
This concern gave the British an
interest in the Eastern Question also, which compelled
them to maintain a close watch on the situation which had
developed in the Ottoman Empire.
The appraisal of historical evidences reveal that
Russia was not Interested in
tnVeLding British India owing
to the prevailing political conditions.
The British
3
excuse obviously was to ensure her commercial interests#
However, the Anglo-Hus, ian conf ic t was temporarily
suspended in the aid-19th century by the Peace of Paris.
But with the resurgence of chauvinistic nationalism of
the component units of the Turkish Empire and the
support of Russian pan-Slavism, the Near
ast once again
became an arena of Anglo-Russian rivalry*
The rise o f a
strong German power in Central Siurope acted as a block
to the Russian expansion towards the west.
This led the
Czar to seek dominion in Central Asia, Afghanistan or
Iran in the quest of markets and ice-free port*
The two imperialist powers, Czarist Russia and Great
B rita in , were in a continuous state of tension regarding
Afghanistan*
With a stroke of aggression and diplomacy,
the British succeeded in crippling the Afghan foreign
policy.
This was a foul to the Czarist dipelonxacy.
In
1907, British Foreign Office and Russian authorities
negotiated a Treaty concerning Afghanistan*
The Afghan
authorities refused to accept the terms of Anglo-Russian
Treaty regarding their country*
Neither of the two
imperialist powers was in a position to cow down Afghanis­
tan.
It was maintained as a buffer between the respective
frontiers of two rivals*
Afghanistan preserved the strict neutrality during
the World War I , denouncing the German and Turkish offers*
Amanullah Khan —
the young, ambitious and vigorous Amir
(King) of Afghanistan, acquired power in 1919. He foiled
4
the British attempt at retaining the colonial domination
over Afghanistan.
Russian interest in the East was to
win the support for its newly established Bolshevik
regime•
Soviet Russia supported the progressive policies
of those countries which had shaken o ff colonial rule.
The Soviet regime in Moscow strictly adhered to the
Leninist declared policy of non-interference in the
internal affairs of neighbouring states*
Of course, it
supported the national liberation movement e*erywhere.
The British authorities also declared that their policy
towards the Afghan affairs was one of scrupulous non­
intervention.
But both the rivals attempted to twitch
Afghanistan in their respective dominated glaxies.
An isolated country, Afghanistan was exposed to the
outer world by virtue of Anglo-Soviet riv alry.
Afgha­
nistan took the advantage of old jealousies between the
two rivals and extended it s commercial relations with
both the countries*
Afghan economy*
That proved a master stroke for the
Afghanistan depended on the Anglo-Soviet
financial and commercial institutions for its economic
development*
Gradually more and more nations penetrated
into Afghanistan*
In Afghanistan, the cause of economic backwardness
and the primary obstacle to overcome it v:as a system of
interrelated and Interdependent factors with unspecified
sources*
This system prevented the resolution of one
problem without the resolution of others*
Social progress
5
remained limited to economic growth.
restraining an increase in production.
It included elements
Installation of an
ignominous person, Bach-i-Saqao, on the Afghan throne
after Ataanullah' 3 departure should be a sufficient proof
of reactionary and conservative forces dominating Afgha­
nistan.
Historically, there are five socio-economic formations*
the primitive
communal, slave-owning, feudal, capitalist
and socialist*
ihe development of a human society depend
on a regular process of the replacement of one socio­
economic formation by another — more progressive one.
But unconscious socio-economic Ideology in Afghanistan
crippled it at the crossroads of slave-owning and feudal
formations.
The socio-economic depression was so injurious
that Afghanistan remained one of the most backward count­
ries in the world phenomena.
The people of the country
were steeped in medieval traditions and prejudices.
The
most fertile and well-irrigated land belonged to feudal
landowners, who held millions of people in bondage.
The
tribal and religious fragmentation was due to the d i f f i ­
cult geographical condition, poor means of communication
and retarded social development of Afghan society.
Illi­
teracy, backwardness, conservatism and medieval traditions
were Knit into an inextricable knot.
The socio-economic
system of the country remained unchanged for a long time.
However, the commercial relations elevated with Soviet
Russia and Great Britain.
6
In order to reduce the sharp Anglo-Soviet antagonism,
Afghanistan kept the Germans and other Axis nationals at
a distance from her ownself during the World War IX .
This arrested and sealed whatever little economic fortune
the country had.
However, at least, Afghanistan saved
herself from direct confrontation with the A llies —
Soviet Russia and Great B ritain , which would have proved
disastrous for her.
International politics could not afford to ignore
the Soviet susceptibilities in Afghanistan.
In fact
after World War I I , America forthwith, in collaboration
with the B ritish, embarked on a policy of containment of
Soviet Russia*
The role of the Anglo-U.S* imperialism
in Iran te stifies to this statement*
This is also true
o f Afghanistan, though the Afghan Government have been
more cautious and considerate in comparison.
Recent
events in Afghanistan leave no doubt about the nefarious
designs of the Anglo-American bloc against Soviet Russia.
Afghanistan has become a victim o f Anglo-U.i:, hegemonism
Central Asia,
The study of Anglo-coviet rivalry in Afghanistan
(1 9 1 9 -1 945) is significant as a background study of the
present crisis In that country*