Philosophy Faculty Publications

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2011

Publication Source

Ideology and Elite Conflicts: Autopsy of the Ethiopian Revolution

Abstract

The widespread social protest that resulted in the overthrow of Ethiopia's imperial regime in 1974 was soon followed by a series of radical and deep-going social changes that heralded the implementation of a socialist policy. Nevertheless, despite the unprecedented changes that took place, scholars do not agree on the true nature of the social transformation of Ethiopia. Those who speak of a genuine socialist revolution clash with those who denounce counterrevolutionary digressions. Some maintain that the transformations are minor against a background of overwhelming continuity. Another smaller group insists that socialism was used as a smokescreen for the implementation of state capitalism. Let us review briefly their main arguments for the purpose of getting a sense of the theoretical challenges that the Ethiopian transformations pose to existing theories of revolution.

Inclusive pages

1-12

ISBN/ISSN

9780739137963

Document Version

Published Version

Comments

Chapter 1, Controversies over the Nature of the Ethiopian Social Change, has been provided for download by permission of the publisher. To read the entire book, visit an academic library or the publisher's website. Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Place of Publication

Lanham, MD

Peer Reviewed

yes

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