Trust operates on two levels: internal and external. Internally, trust in the political arena refers to the confidence of the masses in their political elites, whether political parties or leaders, relying on their sincerity and competence. Externally, trust involves other nations, particularly influential ones, placing their confidence in a nation as a whole, considering it a partner or negotiating party. Afghanistan is currently in crisis on both fronts and rebuilding this trust will require time.
Why is trust crucial in politics? The trust serves as the foundation for establishing relationships, initiating cooperation, forming partnerships, entering into alliances, and fostering other shared connections that bind countries and governments together, allowing them to navigate through the ups and downs of events side by side. The need for regional and global cooperation among countries is more pressing today than ever. Each passing day further intertwines the relationships between countries on the global stage, and the mutual impact between them increases. In a manner such that an incident in Gaza may potentially impact the balance of power among international forces in the Middle East, similar to how the United States elections can have wide-ranging effects and consequences on various parts of the world. In such a complex and interconnected situation, if a spirit of cooperation does not prevail among nations and tension and conflict dominate instead, the resulting damages will be extensive, whether sooner or later.
What transforms confrontation into interaction and understanding is trust between nations. Weaker and more vulnerable countries, such as Afghanistan, require the trust of other nations, mighty ones, several times over. Since the colonial era of the nineteenth century, weaker countries located within the orbit of superpowers, benefiting from their support, have achieved stability and development. The infrastructures present in regions like the subcontinent, some countries in South Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East are products of that era, contributing to their development post-independence. In contrast, countries without strong ties to any side, like Afghanistan, have become battlegrounds for these powers, bearing the cost of wars without reaping any benefits. Therefore, Afghanistan, lacking a reliable system for the world to trust, will never achieve stable stability and will not progress towards development and prosperity.
How is trust established? Trust is based on mutual understanding, whether among individuals or countries. Complete understanding is never possible, and according to epistemology, knowledge is a combination of mental and objective factors, creating images that form the basis of interaction between individuals and groups. Historically, part of human efforts, both at the individual and collective levels, has been dedicated to presenting an image of oneself to others to facilitate mutual trust. Essentially, one of the factors behind the emergence of human civilization and the advancements made in their social life has been the element of trust. When trust is absent, doubt takes its place, leading to the spread of anxiety and fear, causing people to think defensively rather than cooperatively. Societies with limited knowledge and awareness often look at others with suspicion, doubt, fear, and anxiety, unable to find ways of interaction and collaboration with others. Without trust, no trade, exchange of experiences in the fields of science and industry, or other necessary collaborations can thrive.
Foreign trust heavily relies on internal trust. In other words, other countries trust a society and its people when the citizens of that country trust each other, and there is cohesion and unity among them. A country that is internally divided and entangled in various rifts, with its political, religious, and ethnic groups in tension and conflict, cannot establish trust with other nations. In such a society, no one would take the risk to invest, and no one would recognize it as a reliable partner. Countries embroiled in constant internal conflicts, filled with animosity and hatred, are continuously crumbling, experiencing, at best, stagnation and inertia, with no path toward mobility and progress. Afghanistan is currently one of the most prominent examples of such countries, and for this reason, neither the ruling authority nor any government is officially recognized, nor is there any eagerness to establish relationships, enter into contracts, and make agreements with it.
This problem is not exclusive to the ruling group with its bloody and horrifying history. Other political groups in Afghanistan also suffer greatly from the trust crisis. In over two years since the fall of the previous regime, witnessing one of the darkest periods in contemporary Afghan history, these groups have failed to overcome the mistrust inherited from past wars and rivalries, and they have been unable to form alliances for cooperation. The image of the people of Afghanistan as incompatible and hostile has played a role in the minds of many foreigners for years, leading to the conclusion that one cannot look at these people as a unified whole, a cohesive structure, or a government – people in the modern sense – and trust them. This perception is reiterated in the books and political writings of opinion leaders from other countries about Afghanistan.
Perhaps not all the blame lies on the shoulders of the Afghan people. Weak and vulnerable countries become battlegrounds for larger powers, and their intervention in the affairs of smaller countries based on their interests is one of the factors contributing to increased religious, ethnic, and political tensions, and it still is. However, foreign intervention in no way diminishes the responsibility of internal forces. Political leaders and influential social movements must prioritize the restoration of eroded trust so that existing rifts are visibly reduced. To build trust, multiple steps must be taken: breaking free from the shackles of the past, not mixing subjective matters with fundamental issues, gaining a fresh understanding of the geopolitics of the region and the world, adopting the etiquette of dialogue and interaction, recognizing the culture of diversity and pluralism officially, and prioritizing unity over division.