External Influences and the Development of the Afghan State in the Nineteenth Century

This monograph analyzes the dynamics of Anglo-Afghan relations in the nineteenth century, a case where peripheral factors figured prominently in Britain's drive towards imperial expansion. In 1838 and 1879, British Indian authorities endeavored to conquer Afghanistan. In neither instance did Czarist Russia threaten India or British interests in the region. Instead, evidence suggests that internal political factors within the empire guided British India's policy towards Afghanistan. Thus, this book demonstrates that Anglo-Russian rivalry was not a significant factor in shaping British India's relationship with Afghanistan.