Afghanistan's Democratic Experiment Was Not Doomed, Scholar Argues on 9/11 Anniversary

Twenty-five years after the attacks, a new assessment challenges the narrative that Afghan democracy was always destined to fail

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By LineZotpaper

Published7 September 2026

Read Time2 min

A quarter-century after the September 11 attacks triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, a leading scholar argues that the country’s post-2001 experiment with democracy was not inherently doomed — but that American policy failures let it slip away. Writing in The Conversation, Emeritus Professor William Maley of the Australian National University says the West has too readily resorted to orientalist stereotypes that frame the Taliban as Afghanistan’s natural rulers, ignoring the real progress made and the Afghan people’s rejection of the insurgent group.

In a reflective piece marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Maley draws a parallel between the fate of Czechoslovakia after the 1938 Munich Agreement and that of Afghanistan today: “Silent, mournful, abandoned, broken,” as Winston Churchill said of Czechoslovakia. Maley contends that Western circles show little appetite for deep reflection on Afghanistan’s experience, often concluding that democracy was always destined to fail there.

Yet he points to evidence from the Asia Foundation’s 2021 Survey of the Afghan People, which found that 88% of respondents had “no sympathy at all” for the Taliban. Maley co-authored a book with Afghan researcher Ahmad Shuja Jamal cataloguing both the successes and failures of the Afghan Republic.

What went right

According to Maley, a generation of young Afghans grew up in an era of globalisation. By 2021, nearly 70% of the population used television as their primary news source. Average per capita incomes rose, and a vibrant civil society emerged, supported by what he calls “the freest media in the region.” Health outcomes improved across a range of indicators, and girls’ access to education expanded significantly, especially in urban areas. These achievements, though sometimes exaggerated by Western donors, were real.

What went wrong

Maley argues that the institutional design from 2001, heavily influenced by the United States, created an overcentralised and complex state. Too much power was concentrated in the presidency, leaving the government fragile and disconnected from local communities. The US-led coalition failed to live up to its promises, ultimately abandoning the republic to the Taliban’s return in August 2021.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The article challenges a prevailing narrative that Afghanistan was always unsuited to democracy, a view that can shape future Western interventions.
It highlights the human cost of the withdrawal and the lost opportunities for Afghan civil society, especially women and girls.
The 25th anniversary invites a reassessment of lessons learned — or not learned — for future nation-building efforts.

Background

On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks on the United States prompted a US-led invasion of Afghanistan that toppled the Taliban regime. A new constitution and elected government were established, but a persistent Taliban insurgency, corruption, and weak governance plagued the republic. In August 2021, the Taliban recaptured Kabul as US and allied forces withdrew, ending 20 years of international presence.

Key Perspectives

Scholar William Maley: Argues the democratic experiment had real achievements and was not doomed from the start; US failure to adequately support the republic and an overly centralised state design contributed to its collapse. Critics of Western intervention: May point to the enduring strength of the Taliban and the swift collapse of Afghan security forces as evidence that a liberal order could not take root. Afghan civilians: The Asia Foundation survey quoted suggests most Afghans did not sympathise with the Taliban, indicating a disconnect between Western narratives and local sentiment.

What to Watch

Any formal Western policy reviews or parliamentary inquiries marking the 25th anniversary.
Continued reporting on the state of Afghan civil society under Taliban rule, particularly girls’ education and media freedom.
Academic and think-tank literature that either embraces or contests Maley’s thesis about the republic’s viability.

Sources

9/11 anniversary: democracy was not doomed to fail in Afghanistan – the US did not live up to its promises — The Conversation – Articles (AU)