Ethiopia A New Political History

This book investigates the role of ethnic federalism in Ethiopian politics, reflecting on a long history of division amongst the country’s political elites. The book argues that these patterns have enabled the resilience and survival of authoritarianism in the country, and have led to the failure of democratization. Ethnic conflict in Ethiopia stretches back to the country’s imperial history. Competing nationalisms begin to emerge towards the end of the imperial era, but were formalized by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) from the 1990s onwards. Under the EPRDF, ethnicity and language classifications formed the main organizing principles for political parties and organizations, and the country’s new federal arrangement was also designed along ethnic fault lines. This book argues that this ethnic federal arrangement, and the continuation of an elite political culture are major factors in explaining the continuation of authoritarianism in Ethiopia. Focusing largely on the last 27 years under the EPRDF and on the political changes of the last few years, but also stretching back to historical narratives of ethnic grievances and division, this book is an important guide to the ethnic politics of Ethiopia and will be of interest to researchers of African politics, authoritarianism and ethnic conflict.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), founded as a small guerrilla movement in 1974, became the leading party in the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). After decades of civil war, the EPRDF defeated the government in 1991, and has been the dominant party in Ethiopia ever since. Its political agenda of federalism, revolutionary democracy and a developmental state has been unique and controversial. Drawing on his own experience as a senior member of the TPLF/EPRDF leadership, and his unparalleled access to internal documentation, Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe identifies the organizational, political and sociocultural factors that contributed to victory in the revolutionary war, particularly the Front's capacity for intellectual leadership. Charting its challenges and limitations, he analyses how the EPRDF managed the complex transition from a liberation movement into an established government. Finally, he evaluates the fate of the organization's revolutionary goals over its subsequent quarter-century in power, assessing the strengths and weaknesses the party has bequeathed to the country. Laying the Past to Rest is a comprehensive and balanced analysis of the genesis, successes and failings of the EPRDF's state-building project in contemporary Ethiopia, from a uniquely authoritative observer.

In this eminently readable, concise history of Ethiopia, Harold Marcus surveys the evolution of the oldest African nation from prehistory to the present. For the updated edition, Marcus has written a new preface, two new chapters, and an epilogue, detailing the development and implications of Ethiopia as a Federal state and the war with Eritrea.

Ethiopia: The Generation and its Heritage is a continuation of his past approach in critically probing Ethiopia's history. In doing so, Tesfaye undertakes an essential examination of the roots of ethnic political movements in Ethiopia. In order to expose its treacherous and destructive ideology, he goes back to ancient history before returning to the modern intricate political game of separatist movements. In his exposition to the issue, he projects an unusual frankness, narrating the particulars of ethnic political machinations as they represent themselves in the fabric of Ethiopian society. Tesfaye engages and sheds much needed light on sensitive political issues considered taboo, exposing the historical root of today's ethnic politics in Ethiopia. He demonstrates where and how the 'Oromo and Tigray-Tigrinya' movements emerged in Ethiopia's history - the emergence of a Tigray-Tigrinya racist ethnic movement after the death of Emperor Yohannes Ethiopia in 1889 which brought about the collapse of the Tigray ruling class. This ruling class is the founding father of the modern secessionist movement which is ruling Ethiopia today and one which gave the letter of independence to Eritrea. The Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front are one and the same. Tesfaye reveals the goal of these two twin extreme ethnic movements; the creation of a Tigray-Tigrinya independent state. Armed with historical facts, Tesfaye contends that the first goal of this project has been fulfilled by the creation of Eritrea with the Tigray separatist movement in power ultimately plotting towards the separation of all nationalities in Ethiopia. Delving through the past 130 years of Ethiopian history, the inception of the banda ruling class of Tigray-Tigrinya, how this class stood with colonial Italy and fought against Ethiopia is scrutinized. In doing so, Tesfaye illuminates the ethnic and ideological connections across time, aptly establishing the ethnic ideology of the so called Oromo Liberation Front as the grandchild of slave traders in Ethiopia's history. Tigray-Tigrinya and the OLF ethnic chauvinistic movements are modern Ethiopia's arch enemies. They are out to destroy the foundation of the Ethiopian state from its core. To achieve this, they are working hand in glove with the Arab enemies of Ethiopia, lead by Egypt. Unless the Ethiopian people are able to get organized and reclaim their countries' future in their hands, the disintegration of Ethiopia is imminent.

"Seeks to dispel the myths and clichaes surrounding contemporary perceptions of Ethiopia by providing a rare overview of the country's recent history, politics and culture. Explores the unique features of this often misrepresented country as it strives to make itself heard in the modern world"-- Publisher description.

The writings in this edition explore historical and contemporary issues in Ethiopia as the country underwent change and celebrated its new millennium. However, despite the recognizance of socio-economic and political changes, Ethiopia still faces enduring problems and challenges to its stability and continuity. The political past haunts the country while it is facing the future with optimism and hope. The contributors in this edition examine historical and contemporaneous issues with different lenses; they investigate the multiplicity and complexity of the contradictions that define traditional and modern Ethiopia. The contributions highlight the significance of the instability, dislocation, conflict and transformation inherent in any society. None of these writings, however, celebrate the forces that create the conflict; they are cautious not to glorify the present and romanticize the past. On the contrary, they seek to contextualize the challenges which the country faces with a view to open a dialogue, not exclusively among Ethiopians, but with scholars and social activists in the rest of Africa, as well as the international community. The contributions cover and examine such important topics as historiography, political power and legitimacy, ideology and radical views, knowledge transmission and modernity, emigration and the Ethiopian Diaspora, ethnic and linguistic identity, patriarchy and feminist discourses in a traditional society, public policies and economic development, traditional and modern art and culture, and neo-liberalism and globalization. This book was published as a special issue of African Identities.