Ethiopian Revolution

Quick Facts: Who was Ethiopian Revolution?

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Ethiopian Revolution

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A period of civil and military upheaval in Ethiopia protesting the Haile Selassie government.

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Origins & Early Life

The Ethiopian Revolution (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ አብዮት) was a period of civil, police and military upheaval in Ethiopia to protest against the weakened Haile Selassie government. It is generally considered to have begun on 12 January 1974 when Ethiopian soldiers began a mutiny in Negele Borana, a town located in southern Ethiopia, with the protests continuing into February 1974. People from different occupations, starting from junior army officers, students and teachers, and taxi drivers, joined a strike to demand human rights, social change, agrarian reforms, price controls, free schooling, and releasing political prisoners, and labor unions demanded a fixation of wages in accordance with price indexes, as well as pensions for workers, etc. The Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, later called the Derg, formed on 27 June 1974. It was initially made up of 109 privates, noncommissioned officers, and junior officers below the rank of lieutenant colonel, drawn from various ethnicities and regions of the country. The committee decided to seize power from the emperor while confronting the Prime Minister, Endelkachew Makonnen.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

By September of that year, the Derg began detaining Endalkachew's closest advisors, dissolved the Crown Council and Imperial Court and disbanded the emperor's military staff. The Ethiopian Revolution ended with the 12 September coup d'état against Haile Selassie by the Coordinating Committee. For many centuries, the Ethiopian Empire had a semi-feudal mode of production, with most land held by the church (25%), the Emperor (20%), the feudal lords (30%) and the state (18%), leaving a mere 7% to the roughly 23 million Ethiopian peasants. The landless peasants lost as much as 75% of their produce to the landlords, leaving them miserably poor. Haile Selassie had also promised to reform and modernize the country.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The late 1960s in Ethiopia included student movements developing their knowledge of and debating the social sciences and social change. Their debates were influential in their opposition to Emperor Haile Selassie. On 13 December 1960, elements of the Imperial Bodyguard tried but failed to dethrone Haile Selassie while he was abroad. The coup was led by the commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, Brigadier General Mengistu Neway, and his brother Girmame, with the reluctant involvement of police chief Brigadier General Tsige Dibbu and security chief Colonel Workneh Gebeyehou. Poorly planned and badly coordinated, it was extinguished within three days.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1960: 1960 Milestone — On 13 December 1960, elements of the Imperial Bodyguard tried but failed to dethrone Haile Selassie while he was abroad.
2. 1974: 1974 Milestone — It is generally considered to have begun on 12 January 1974 when Ethiopian soldiers began a mutiny in Negele Borana, a town located in southern Ethiopia, with the protests continuing into February 1974.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Ethiopian Revolution

True or False: “The Ethiopian Revolution was solely triggered by the peasant revolts in Bale, Sidamo, Wollo, and Gojjam.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While famine fueled unrest, the revolution was primarily precipitated by a military mutiny demanding better wages and living conditions.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adria Petty — Historical peer (Born in 1974) (1974): American director, editor, and artist known for music video work with Beyoncé.
• Agnes Moorehead — Historical peer (Died in 1974) (1974): Iconic American actress celebrated for stage, film, and television roles.
• Abdel Fattah al-Burhan — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): Sudanese military officer and leader who assumed control of Sudan in 2019.
• Adam Clayton — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ethiopian Revolution