The Marxist concept of national question and the analysis of Ethiopian reality during the Derg regime (1974 to 1991)

Abstract

This article examines the Marxist concept of the national question and the analysis of Ethiopian reality during the Derg government (1974–1991). As the title indicates, this study explained the interplay between the Marxist concepts of national questions in general and analyzed how the nationalities questions in Ethiopia were treated under the Derg government (1974–1991) specifically. Since very recently, several studies have been done on nationalities questions particularly focusing on post-1991 ethnic-based federalism in Ethiopia. However, no attention is given to nationality issues in Ethiopia under the Marxist regime(Derg). To fill this gap, the researchers collected both primary and secondary sources. The collected data were then arranged, presented, and thoroughly examined. Ultimately, a qualitative research approach and a descriptive research design were used to interpret the data. Finally, the finding of this study concludes that the Derg regime failed to answer the nationalities question in Ethiopia based on Marxist-Leninist views. Therefore, although the Derg initially promised to answer the nationality question in Ethiopia, its promises did not go beyond words.

Keywords:

• Marxist-Leninist Theory
• the national question
• Ethiopian condition
• Derg regime
• Haile Fida

Reviewing Editor:

• Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology College of Arts and Social Science, Kumasi, Ghana

Subjects:

• Political Theory
• History
• Cultural Studies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The All-Ethiopian Socialist Movement (MEISON) after its Amharic acronym was a Marxist-Leninist organization that played an active role in Ethiopian politics during the 1970s. It was founded in 1968 by some of the most senior of the exiled radical Ethiopian students. Haile Fida was among the prominent founders and leaders. After the 1974 revolution, MEISON became the dominant Marxist party and their leadership across Europe, North America, and Middle East quickly returned home to take part in the revolution.

2 Like MEISON, Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP) was the off-spring of the Ethiopian student movement of the 1960s and a Marxist-Leninist organization. EPRP was first founded as a party by student activist abroad in 1972. Berhane Meskel Reda was among prominent founders. Though the two Marxist-Leninist organization were the bi-product of Ethiopian Student movement,ideological differences between the two leads them to violence and destruction during 1976 and 1977 and diverted their attention from what they struggled since 1960s i.e democracy, equality and justice.

3 Raza project-was Derg’s secret plan to smush Eritrean national question forcefully under the demagogic plan of fighting Arab imperialism.But the reality behind the project was to suppress Eritrean question of self-determination.No doubt, it was here that Derg missed his initial plan of recognizing nationality question in Ethiopia.

Additional information

Funding

Jimma University,College of Social science and Humanities

Notes on contributors

Gebeyehu Temesgen Duressa

Gebeyehu Temesgen Duressa is a doctoral fellow at Jimma University, Ethiopia. He got his MA degree in History and Heritage Management. He has published three articles on reputable journals on topics such as political history, socio-economic history, and Indigenous Knowledge.

Tesema Ta’a

Tesema Ta’a is a professor of History at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He is a scholar in Oromo and Ethiopian studies. He has published many articles, book chapters, and books on topics such as democracy, Culture, indigenous knowledge, and political Economy. He currently serving at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

Deressa Debu

Deressa Debu is a PhD at Jimma University, Ethiopia. He has published articles and books on topics such as socio economic, ethnic, and environmental history. He currently serving Jimma University, Ethiopia.