REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRACY IN ETHIOPIA: ORIGIN, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT

ABOUT THE PAPER

This paper is an extract from my book entitled: The Cruces of Post 1991 Ethiopian Politics: Revolutionary Democracy, Democratic Developmentlaism and the Late Meles Zenawi. The book is first pulished in December 2017, and republished in Septmeber 2018. The book gives a comprehensive account on the rules of the game in the system of governance of politics, economy, bureaucracy and Securityin Ethiopia since 1991.

This article \is organized into two parts. In the first part, the underlying factors triggering for the genesis and development of revolutionary democratic concept is discussed. The first section further addresses competing views on the lines of revolutionary democracy Moreover, the status of revolutionary democracy is subjected to question, as a single party program or as a full fledge concept that comprehensively addresses on all aspects of governance.

The second part discusses on the evolution, development and/or consolidation of ideals of revolutionary thought in Ethiopia. In this regard, the theory and practices of revolutionary democracy is framed. The late Meles Zenawi having been ideologue of Ethiopian Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF), a party that has been ruling Ethiopia since 1991, the political and leadership personalities of the leader is analyzed.