CIRIS

Review Articles

Vol. 6 (2025): Panoply Journal

The Collapse of Democracy in Afghanistan: A Critique of Fukuyama’s Anglo-American Dream of Global Democratic Triumph

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71166/0c20jx18
Submitted
7 March 2025
Published
06/08/2025

Abstract

This article critically examines the 2021 collapse of the Afghan government, challenging Francis Fukuyama's "End of History" theory and his Anglo-American Dream of Global Democratic Triumph, which posits that liberal democracy is the final form of governance. Despite two decades of international efforts to establish democracy in Afghanistan, the Taliban's rapid takeover reveals the complexity of political evolution shaped by deep-rooted cultural, historical, and political factors. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, this study situates Afghanistan's failed democratic project within global trends, such as the persistence of authoritarian regimes and the rise of populism. The findings suggest that political progress is not linear and is influenced by economic, geopolitical, and cultural forces, urging a reevaluation of Fukuyama’s thesis.

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