RASC News Agency: Dr. Abdul Latif Pedram, leader of the National Congress Party of Afghanistan, has warned against the dangers of ethnic monopolization of power in multi-ethnic societies, stating in a Facebook post that “an ethnic state is fundamentally wrong” and inherently crisis-generating.
In his note, Pedram situates his argument within a philosophical framework, referencing Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah Arendt and her formulation of the concept of the “banality of evil.” He also introduces what he describes as the “banality of good,” suggesting that seemingly moral actions if lacking independent judgment and awareness of their consequences can inadvertently contribute to the perpetuation of unjust systems.
According to Pedram, moral philosophers distinguish between two forms of “good”: one grounded in rational reflection and critical thought, and another derived from habit and socially praised norms but devoid of critical scrutiny. Drawing on Arendt’s analysis, he argues that when social norms or political systems become distorted, even actions that appear ethical may serve to reproduce that distortion.
In distinguishing between the “banality of evil” and the “banality of good,” Pedram notes that Arendt portrayed Adolf Eichmann not as a monstrous aberration but as an ordinary individual who participated in systemic crimes without critical reflection. Similarly, he contends, “banal good” emerges when virtuous conduct degenerates into superficial habit or unexamined duty, stripped of independent moral reasoning.
In the concluding section of his statement, the National Congress Party leader cautions activists and what he calls “fighters for justice, fairness, ethics, and freedom” against falling into what he describes as “hazy and blind nationalism.” He stresses that extreme nationalism and the denial or denigration of other ethnic groups are incompatible with the principles of justice and liberty.
Summarizing his position, Pedram writes: “An exclusionary, mono-ethnic state in a multi-ethnic society is wrong it generates crisis.”
