Poll: After Century, August 19 Remains Question for Afghanistan’s Independence

DID Press: Afghanistan truly gained independence after August 19, 1919?
This was the question posed by DID Press in a public survey of its audience.

A century later since the signing of the Rawalpindi Peace Treaty and the formal end of Britain’s direct influence in Afghanistan, the issue remains at the center of historical and political debates.

Poll Results

37% of respondents believe Afghanistan has never achieved true independence.

27% say the country did attain full independence after August 19, 1919.

18% describe Afghanistan’s independence as temporary and unstable.

18% believe that while independence was achieved, reliance on foreign support continued.

Analysis of the Results

Historical Distrust: The high percentage of those choosing “no real independence” reflects the persistent critical view Afghanistan people hold toward their political history—one consistently entangled with foreign intervention.

Doubt About the Strength of Independence: Altogether, more than half of respondents (55%) see Afghanistan’s independence as incomplete, unstable, or conditional on foreign support.

A Hopeful Minority: Only about a quarter of participants regard Afghanistan as truly independent after August 19, highlighting the existence of a more positive, nationalist perspective within society.

Importance of the Issue

The survey underscores that Afghanistan’s independence is not merely a historical commemoration but remains a living and influential theme in political discourse and national identity. Ongoing political and economic dependency on foreign powers, recurrent crises of governmental legitimacy, and domestic insecurity have prevented many citizens from perceiving independence in its classic sense.

Conclusion

DID Press poll suggests that, for many Afghanistani, independence is remembered less as a celebration of national pride and more as a subject of historical doubt and questioning. The results may reflect the bitter reality of the past century: a nation that celebrates its independence day on the calendar, yet continues to grapple with dependency, foreign interference, and political legitimacy crises in practice.