Would the rest of Central Asia be like Afghanistan if not for the Soviet Union? Like the increase in Islamic fundamentalism and other horrible shit like bride kidnapping makes me think the area was actually better off under Soviet rule, which says a lot. Gender inequality is increasing in central Asia since the fall of the USSR since education is no longer paid for by the state, and families prefer to send their sons to college when they have to pay for it. There's a huge correlation with religious fundamentalism and gender inequality. I'd rather the region be second world and secular than third world and Islamist tbh.
