The Impact of Geographic Space Structure on Centralization and Decentralization in Afghanistan

Abstract

One of the primary responsibilities of spatial thinkers and strategists in political geography—such as geopoliticians, geographers, and political administrators—is to identify and analyze the geographical factors that influence political systems. These factors exist in all geographical spaces, particularly in their structural dimension, and play a decisive role in shaping centralization and decentralization in countries. Afghanistan, as a geographical unit, has witnessed the rise of centralist and decentralist forces over the past century, particularly during critical historical junctures, to the extent that the institutionalization and survival of its political system have faced Problems. Given this issue, the fundamental question arises: How does the structure of Afghanistan's geographical space influence the formation and activity of these forces? This study, conducted as a case study with a theory-driven approach, employs a qualitative (descriptive-analytical) method and a functionalist perspective in geography. Data collection has been carried out using a documentary research approach. The primary objective of this research is to diagnose and understand the factors affecting centralization and decentralization within the structure of Afghanistan’s geographical space. The findings indicate that Afghanistan’s geographical structure is heterogeneous in three dimensions: (1) natural environmental elements, (2) human societal elements, and (3) human-made environmental elements. This heterogeneity provides the conditions for diverse political ideologies to emerge and continuously shifts the balance of power in favor of either centralist or decentralist forces.