An Examination of the Domestic Policy of the First Republic of Afghanistan

Abstract

Following the 1973 coup in Afghanistan, the domestic policies of the republican government led by Mohammad Daoud Khan played a decisive role in the country’s political, economic, and social transformations; unfortunately, they also became one of the factors behind the misfortunes of the following decades. The aim of this study is to comprehensively examine and analyze the domestic policies of this period and the interaction between development programs and the concentration of political power. The present research is qualitative and analytical in nature, and the data were collected through the review of historical documents, political memoirs, library sources, and previous studies. The research population includes primary and secondary sources related to the period from 1973 to 1978. The findings indicate that during the first two years of his rule, Daoud Khan’s government implemented significant developmental measures in areas such as infrastructure projects, land reforms, expansion of education, establishment of educational institutions, and provision of healthcare services, while attempting to improve the welfare and living standards of the people. However, the excessive concentration of power in the hands of the president, restrictions on political party activities, censorship of the press, and suppression of political opponents reinforced the authoritarian nature of the regime. This contradiction caused the developmental reforms to face practical failures and generated widespread social and political dissatisfaction,ultimately paving the way for Afghanistan’s subsequent upheavals.