Ethiopia , History and politics
Borkena
Toronto – In part three of the conversation with Andhargachew Asseged, Tamerat Kebede and Petros Toja, Ethiopia Book Forum audience posed questions that tended to examine where the idea of change itself was right in the context of then Ethiopia. The relevance of Marxism to the condition of Ethiopia was questioned. It appears the questions were not framed in a way to examine whether there was an effort to interpret Marxism within the context of Ethiopian society.
Petros Toja reflected about the sense of inevitability among Ethiopian Revolutionaries at the time – certainty of the eventual formation of a socialist Ethiopian society and absolutism of ideas and beliefs which he saw as a mistake.
Andargachew Asseged does not seem to buy the view that the Ethiopian monarchy was overthrown by the revolutionaries – people like himself. He recounted that that “movement was popular” and the role of the revolutionaries was to stand on” the side of the people.” Without discounting the influence of the socialist movements at the time and the international order, it still invites a question whether the movement to overthrow the monarchy ( and this could be traced back from the 1953 coup attempt) was fundamentally organic. The question could be relevant if seen within the context of external rivalry against Ethiopia. For example, the Eritrean struggle for independence predates the Ethiopian revolution and it is clear that the movement was not purely leftist. The support and influence of states from the Arab world was notable. In turn, it is very hard not to imagine that the Eritrean movement did not have a strategic use of the political movements in Ethiopia. There are views that figures like Walelign Mekonen were gullible and had a possible gullibility when he prepared the “question of nations and nationalities.”
Angargachew Asseged also reflected on what this generation could learn from their movement and participation in the Ethiopian revolution. “When we should have had a dialogue, we did not have one. This is the biggest mistake,” he said, connoting that the political differences at the time were resolved through armed struggle.
He urges a youth that thinks within the context of the 21st century rather than one that is ruminating the “nations and nationalities” question that Lenin raised in the 19th century. He warned about the digital colonization of this time and the plutocracy that is lurking in the world stage – especially as far as the United States is concerned.
Tamrat Kebede reflected focusing on Ethiopia.
Watch the conversation embedded below and share your views in the comment section.
Video : embedded from Arts TV YouTube channel
Cover photo : screenshot from the video
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