AMANULLAH

essential to deal with this problem first, and it was
imperative to settle the matter on the proper footing
before security of tenancy for the new Amir could be
guaranteed. There were still bandits and opportunists
in plenty who might imitate the example of Bacha
Sachao. For the time being, Nadir Khan had little
organised protection against another such invasion,
though he could rely on the loyalty, for what it was
worth, of the Kabulis.

For his own sake, he made no mention of the rebuild-
ing of Kabul, the erection of Darulaman, the building
of roads, or indeed the modernisation of any traditional
practices. It was enough to promise a relaxation of the
grinding taxation. This was his first step, and though
for some time past not a penny had been paid to the
tax collectors, except by those simple souls who paid
out of fear for the officials, the proclamation announcing
this step to the countryside was well received.

Of course, it must be appreciated that in Afghanistan
there is no method of reaching the ears of even the
minority of the population with a message or a com-
mand. It took more than a year for the people of the
countryside to appreciate the disastrous policy decided
on by Amanullah. Even then, all they knew about the
new r6gime was that the local tax collector, representing
Government, pressed his demands on them harder and
harder.

Nadir Khan had virtually no newspapers in which to
announce his ideals and his promises* He could send
no envoys to the scattered hamlets to announce by word
of mouth, to ten million people, the benefits that might
accrue to them through lawfulness and loyalty. He
did not even know their number, for the Afghans have
never been enumerated, though the figure of ten millions
is considered the nearest that can be guessed at,

260