Author: Anthony  S.  Crawford

Major: Political Science & Economics

Graduation Year: 2018

Thesis Advisor: Joseph Miller

Description of Publication: Forced eradication programs will not end opium production in Afghanistan. Policymakers need to address the underlying factors that are perpetuating opium production. They could target the demand for heroin in Western countries by developing drug awareness campaigns, but addressing the demand for heroin does not resolve the underlying economic, social, and environmental factors that force farmers in Afghanistan to produce poppy. Afghans produce poppy because Afghanistan’s government is too corrupt and ineffective to provide Afghanistan’s farmers with alternative livelihoods. Thus, Afghanistan’s opium economy is a political issue. Clientelism structures the electoral process, not ideological voting. Thus, Afghanistan’s politicians are more preoccupied with distributing patronage so that they can retain their powerful and lucrative positions than they are with Afghanistan’s modernization and prosperity. Afghanistan needs to develop its party system so that democratic parties concerned with Afghanistan’s well-being control its government, not selfish politicians who only run for political office so that they can enrich themselves. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles that are undermining the institutionalization of Afghanistan’s party system. Political elites in Afghanistan want to undermine the development of Afghanistan’s party system to maintain the status quo. Additionally, Afghanistan’s youth appear to be disillusioned with democracy. They are joining radical Islamic organizations that oppose the West and its values. Thus, although Afghanistan needs stability and an inclusive government if it is ever going to develop a more diverse economy, it appears that Afghanistan will remain ethnically divided and unstable.

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