The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

theory, thinks as if the Pashtun “lower classes” dream about putting an end to the exploitation bythe “upper classes.” He thinks so because he is more an Englishman than a Pashtun. However,besides the knowledge that I received in Prague, I have the knowledge that I received from myfather and grandfather—the real Pashtuns. This is why I think that Taraki is wrong. The “classtheory” is good for Europe. Don’t think that I’m trying to criticize Marxism-Leninism. It’s a greattheory. However, it is not for Afghanistan. It is good for a European society. In our Afghan society,there are no “classes.” We do not have workers, peasants, and capitalists like those who existedduring Marx’s life in the West. To be more precise, we do not have such inter-class relations as inEurope at the time. However, we have tribes. Intra-tribal and inter-tribal relations cannot beexplained by Marxist-Leninist theory. I’ve thought about it a lot. Here in Afghanistan, the theory ofMarxism-Leninism cannot be applied. I am very closely connected with my tribe, and I know thatthe idea that the lower strata of the tribe can fight against the upper strata is nonsense. Twofamilies may have arguments—then they can fight. But it won’t be a class struggle, because in ourtribes, upper and lower strata within the tribe are the same. They are all relatives.’”Vova was thinking about what he had just read. He smoked a cigarette. There was a lot toponder about, he thought. One threatens our rejection by the Muslims, another says the Sovietswill either help too much or too little. The third seems to write from the point of view of a friend,but not the friend of our friends. And all of them are correct. “All of these reports in front of me—Ican go and burn them without a problem. Perhaps I shouldn’t burn them, perhaps I should addthis information to the cable that has already been written, and spoil the party.”Deep in his thoughts, Volodya went to Orlov-Morozov’s office with an envelope in his handthat contained the cable and the three reports that he had just read. However, the deputy residentwas not in his office. The door was locked. He proceeded to the resident’s office, where he saw104