Aiding Afghanistan

Even prior to the coup in 1978, Afghanistan was one of the world's poorest countries, but nearly 17 years of war obliterated any development that had been achieved. The always relatively weak Afghan state has collapsed and today the country is split into many political entities, some of which resemble states in the making, whilst others are confined to a village or valley. In this situation, international aid agencies are attempting to support the return of refugees and reconstruction. This book examines how the structure and dynamics of the Afghan society shaped not only relations between state and society, but also the resistance struggle and war, and still affect international efforts towards the country's reconstruction.