Afghanistan+in+the+1960’s+and+1970’s

Afghanistan in the 1960's and 1970's


 * __ Politics/Government: __**

The 1960s and 1970s were the greatest period of politicization in Afghanistan during modern history. After a long period of sociopolitical suffocation from 1929-64, Afghanistan was set into a new period of relaxation and transformation

v ** Political parties and the independent press emerged. **
 * Heated debates were formed based on social, economic, and cultural issues.
 * Literature became more common as means to fight each other (i.e. government vs. mujahedeen) or to express political and ideological viewpoints.

v ** 1965-73 in Afghanistan was also known as the “constitutional decade.” **


 * A new constitution was ratified.
 * Political parties helped change the way the government was run.
 * Period ended in 1973 from a “royal coup” mandated by Muhammad Daud.
 * Socio-cultural developments still continued until 1978.


 * __ Culture: __**

Afghanistan’s relationship with the outside world reached a peak in the 1960s and early 1970s and therefore had the highest degree of cultural exchange in the country’s history.

v ** Cultural embassies were very active in Afghanistan. **
 * Cultural activities were widely used (ex. Conferences, seminars, exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances, and language courses)

v ** Afghanistan had its most thriving period in terms of visits by tourists or workers. **
 * A large number of students were being sent overseas for a higher education.
 * A relatively large number of foreign experts were also employed during this time frame.

v ** Feature films, book, magazines, journals, music, and much more came flooding into the country. **



Afghanistan was primarily a rural kingdom. 80% of the population took part in agriculture, while the remaining 20% were nomads. The agriculturalists were composed of gentries and farmers:
 * __ Social Class Structure/Lifestyle: __**

// Gentries // usually owned from 50-500 acres of land, and were involved in commerce of held high governmental positions.

//Farmers// owned 20-50 acres if they were well off, 8-30 acres if they were moderately rich, and 3-8 acres or rented from the people above if they were petty. 85% of Afghan farmers, however were landless peasants working for groups above.




 * The social class in Afghanistan was predominantly feudalistic with two major groups that operated side by side: Settlers and Nomads. **



Women and hildren were a concept of property so they traditionally belonged to a male, just as the man owned the livestock, land, houses, and tents.

__ The Bourgeois Class: __
 * Classes: **
 * Industrial workers: merchants, wholesalers, and retailers

__ The Labor Class __
 * Formed organizations, parties, and movements

__ The Religious Class __ - *most influential/manipulative*
 * Religious rituals, supervise education + healthcare, modernization, and westernization

__ Intellectuals __
 * Social and economic affairs of kingdom.

www.schlacks.com/downloads/TS23/Bezhan.pdf www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Afghanistan/AfghanOverview.html www.gl.itt.edu/govdocs/afghanistan/GenderRoles.html http://sonicasymmetry.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/afghanistan.jpg http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/programs/plant_diagnostics_clip_image001_0000.jpg []
 * Sources: **