A Thousand Splendid Suns is set during the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The book came out during the war in Afghanistan and after the 9/11 attacks in New York, and sought to portray what life was like in Afghanistan, from the point of view of citizens.
The Taliban government was a dictatorial government which banned things like dancing, kite-flying (thus the Kite Runner novel), and other forms of fun. They were inspired by a fringe Islamic ideology which viewed most of these activities as sinful and a corruption of society.
We see these dictatorial, patriarchal themes throughout the novel, where women's rights are oppressed throughout the book, in an accurate depiction of Taliban rule. For example, in the 90s, women were largely removed from their prominent roles in government and teaching and made to answer to their male relatives, such as their husbands, fathers, or uncles. In this...
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way, the Taliban ruled as a dictatorial theocracy based on patriarchal principles.
References
In the novel, Afghanistan is initially ruled by King Zahir Shah. The text tells us that Shah is ousted by his cousin Mohammed Daoud Khan when Mariam is fourteen. For his part, Shah had ruled for forty years before he is overthrown. Khan declares himself the first president of the Afghan republic in 1973. He is assassinated in 1978.
In 1979, the Soviets invade Afghanistan. During this time, many civilians perish in the war between the Afghan mujahideen and the invading army.
The Afghan people do not have the privilege of a stable government during much of the story. After the war with the Soviets, the mujahideen turn their sights on Afghan civilians. The text tells us that these freedom fighters perpetrate terrible atrocities in Afghanistan. In the story, Rasheed complains about the mujahideen.
But look around you. What do you see? Corrupt, greedy Mujahideen commanders, armed to the teeth, rich off heroin, declaring jihad on one another and killing everyone in between-that's what. At least the Taliban are pure and incorruptible. At least they're decent Muslim boys. Wallah, when they come, they will clean up this place.
The Taliban do take over after defeating the mujahideen. However, this new group of freedom fighters perpetrate their own brand of terror upon innocent Afghan civilians.
The majority of the novel's action takes place under Afghanistan's Taliban rule. At the book's beginning, Mariam is a child during her country's Golden Age. Even though Afghanistan was ruled by a king during this time, it was quite modern, forward-thinking, and prosperous. When the king was overthrown and the Communists eventually take over, the country was ruled by chaos (as the Soviets fight for power over Afghanistan). Once the Soviet Union pulls out, the Taliban takes over and enacts totalitarian rule through the use of a religious dogmatism. Like most real and fictional totalitarian regimes, a select few (the Talibs) hold ultimate power and control virtually every aspect of the people's lives. Afghans are told what to wear, how to worship, and even what to like and dislike. They are punished publicly so that they can be "examples" to others and deter future law-breaking.
If you ever get a chance to watch the documentary Beauty School of Kabul, it presents an interesting, firsthand view of life under the Talib government in Afghanistan.