Irvine, Calif., April 10, 2007 -- An overwhelming majority of Afghans favor democratic government and demonstrate a surprisingly sophisticated understanding of democracy, according to a new analysis by UC Irvine political scientist Russell Dalton. Violence and instability in certain regions, however, remain a significant threat to democracy’s development.
Dalton, who helped develop and analyze The Asia Foundation's 2006 survey of Afghans, a follow-up to a 2004 survey, finds that 84 percent of Afghans think that democracy is the best form of government, and the same percentage define democracy in terms of political rights such as freedom and government by the people.
"The strength of support for democracy and the richness of the Afghans’ understanding of democratic concepts are stunning," said Dalton, professor of political science and a faculty member in UCI’s Center for the Study of Democracy.
Support of democracy is stronger in Afghanistan than in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq or Indonesia, according to Dalton, and Afghans’ support is relatively uniform across social groups like Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras.
"We want democracy to bring peace in our country and to rebuild the country," said one Tajik male in Jalalabad who was interviewed in the course of the research.
However, Dalton’s analysis shows that in some areas of the country, democratic principles may be undermined. Belief that political opinions can be freely expressed varies across regions, and Afghans in regions of conflict in the Southwest, near Kandahar, and the East, near Pakistan, have the greatest doubts about their ability to express themselves freely. These doubts can dangerously erode democratic participation, Dalton notes.
"The threat of violence and coercion amid conflict means that people withdraw from the political process, representing a significant threat to democracy," said Dalton.
There also is increasing tension in Afghanistan over whether democracy and Islam can coexist, according to the analysis. A growing portion –- more than one-third –- now say democracy challenges Islam’s values. In addition, the minority of Afghans who favor a role for religious leaders in national politics are less supportive of a democratic system. Dalton emphasizes that the perceptions of democracy and Islam will need to be reconciled for democracy to survive in the country.
Nevertheless, Afghans report that they feel optimistic about their future – even more optimistic about their country’s direction than Americans are about the U.S., Dalton said. And, he points out, they have good reason to be. Afghans have been governed over the past 30 years by a monarchy, a dictatorship, a communist regime and the Taliban.
A vast majority of Afghans –- 96 percent -– said democracy provides them with personal benefits such as security, stability, prosperity or women’s rights. This was up from 64 percent in the 2004 survey.
These findings represent a deepening understanding of democracy, which surprised Dalton because the country is one of the world’s poorest and has low literacy – factors usually considered unsuitable for nurturing democracy.
"We used to think that understanding and embracing democracy required a certain level of education and economic development," said Dalton. "But, in reality, most people in most places would rather control their own lives than have someone else control them."
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo available at http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1592
Dalton’s analysis was published along with other reports by The Asia Foundation on April 10. To read the full report, visit http://www.asiafoundation.org/Locations/afghanistan_news.html
About the survey: The Asia Foundation conducted the survey with a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dalton helped develop the survey questionnaire and received additional support from UCI’s Center for the Study of Democracy. The project included interviews with a nationally representative sample of 6,226 Afghans who were contacted in June 2006. The questionnaire asked about attitudes toward the economy, security, the 2005 elections, status of women, and sources of political information.
About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,800 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.7 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
Television: UCI has a broadcast studio available for live or taped interviews. For more information, visit www.today.uci.edu/broadcast.
News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. The use of this line is available free-of-charge to radio news programs/stations who wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.