A SURGE IN RADICAL GOVERNMENTS, THE HOPE OF DEMOCRACY

Copyright infringement not intended Picture Courtesy:  The Hindu Context: The rise of radical governments around the world is raising concerns about the future of democracy, as people become dissatisfied with traditional political systems and turn to populism and far-right ideologies. Afghanistan under the Taliban When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, there was a tragic suicide attack by the Islamic State (IS) that killed 13 U.S. troops. Despite this, the U.S., the West, China, and Russia sought to engage with the Taliban, with the West justifying it as a way to reduce terrorism and promote women’s and minority rights.   How did the world treat the Taliban after their takeover? Initially, the Taliban were treated with a certain level of tolerance. The West and other powers, like China and Russia, worked with them despite the past violence and instability they had caused. They justified that engaging with the Taliban could prevent ...