Review It
In the first part of the module you learned how to categorize evidence to support a thesis statement for the developing country of Bolivia. You will now apply that same method to the developing country of Afghanistan.
The history of conflict, colonization and religion in Afghanistan has helped qualify it as a developing country. Its geographic location in South Asia near the Middle East makes it a strategically important country. Afghanistan has been connected to political events of the 20th and 21st centuries, and recent events in Afghanistan have highlighted the challenges posed to other countries. The challenges for native Afghans are similar to those of Bolivia, including a lack of economic progress, effective government, and a poor standard of living.
Afghanistan is home to a multiethnic population that faces many economic, political and cultural challenges. The following activity includes evidence of these challenges in Afghanistan that will be categorized into a thesis statement.
There are many economic, political and cultural characteristics of Afghanistan that make it a “developing country.” Read the secondary source below to help answer this essay question:
Why is Afghanistan considered a developing country?
As you read, think about how the information presented can serve as evidence to help you respond to the essay question. In the video that follows, you will review how to identify and categorize evidence that supports a thesis statement in response to the essay question.
Developing Afghanistan
Afghanistan fought a deadly war against the Soviet Union during the 1980s and a civil war during the early 1990s. These events shaped present-day politics and government in Afghanistan. The “Taliban” rose out of the chaos of the period as the Islamic state government of Afghanistan. As an Islamic state, religion influences Afghan leaders and their decisions. Unfortunately some of these decisions included using terrorism to wage war against their enemies in Afghanistan, neighboring countries such as Pakistan, and western countries including the United States. Many humanitarian organizations and the United Nations have condemned the Taliban government for its violent abuse of human rights, discrimination against women, and forced relocation of millions of refugees.
The Taliban was infamously responsible for the September 11th attacks against the United States in 2001. Shortly thereafter, a new government was created with the support of western nations. After an invasion and a U.S.-led war against the Taliban and its enemies, a democratic republic emerged and has remained since 2004. Opponents of the republic continue to challenge the government’s power. However, the reforms have improved the safety and security of life in Afghanistan compared with the violent, lawless society under the Taliban.
Decades of war and chaos in Afghanistan have created one of the world’s poorest economies. The biggest factor that has limited the growth of the economy is the lack of economic investment by foreign nations and companies as a result of the war and conflict. This has recently improved due to the new government. Afghanistan’s most commonly exported natural resources are wheat, nuts, fruits, vegetables and valuable hand-woven rugs. The country is also a leading producer of opium, which is manufactured into illegal drugs. There is also a wealth of untapped natural resources, such as precious minerals, natural gas and oil. The country’s lack of development has delayed the gathering of these resources until recently.
Healthcare in Afghanistan is especially poor in most areas since doctors fled and hospitals were destroyed from years of war. On average, Afghans have one of the world’s lowest life spans, highest infant death rates, and fewest hospitals and doctors. Recent efforts have improved available health and emergency care, and support for many people missing limbs from war zones. International organizations have also recently improved awareness of spreading disease. Like other developing countries, most people live in rural regions far from clean water and acceptable medical care.
Like most elements of culture and daily life in Afghanistan, Islam influences education. The entire education system had to be rebuilt following decades of war, when schools were destroyed and teachers fled war zones. During the 1990s, the Taliban banned females from attending school and instituted strict Islamic teaching. In more recent years, reforms have been made under the new democratic government. More girls are attending school under the rebuilt system, however, rural areas lack quality school buildings, teachers, and learning programs. Areas under the influence of militant groups are under constant threat of attack on schools that do not teach their radical views.
Remember the essay question:
Why is Afghanistan considered a developing country?
The evidence presented in the above secondary source could be used to support a thesis statement and response to the essay question. As a reminder, the thesis presents the basic argument of the essay, and provides categories in which the evidence would be presented in body paragraphs.
The thesis we will use is this:
Decades of war and conflict have limited economic progress and prevented effective government in Afghanistan, resulting in a lack of education and medical care. Recent efforts have improved the economic opportunity and conditions for many Afghans.
View the video below to examine how the evidence you read above could be used to support the thesis statement and write a response to the essay question.
