History 1122
Research Paper
Dr. Yu
April 28, 2008

Ras Tafari Makonnen & the Evolution of Ethiopia

Let’s go on an expedition far beyond Ohio. Distant from the United States, across sea to Africa! Come and travel to the grand Ethiopia and discover Rastafar! Ascertain the beautiful land, people, values, and government of Ethiopia. Deicide if the Rastafarian movement is where you belong. Voyage to a place in which Haile Selassie is the emperor who deserves the upmost praise from his people for his revolutionary ideas of government. Gain a sense of pride to be not only African but a part of the Ethiopian dynasty of royalty. Let's go...
Ethiopia is divided into fourteen administrative units, or provinces: Shoa, Harar, Bale, Sidamo, Gamu-Gofa, Kaffa, Illubabor, Wollega, Gojam, Beghemder, Wello, Arussi, Tigre, and Eritrea. Ethiopia's economy is severely underdeveloped. It has a per-capita income of approximately US$64 a year; about ninety percent of the population earns a living from farming or livestock. Ethiopia's major money crop coffee accounts for nearly sixty percent of the nation’s exports. Ethiopia is also Africa's fourth largest producer of coffee. Skin, hides, and meat are also exported, as are oil seed, oil cakes, fruits, vegetables, and spices. Ethiopia's major trading partners are the U.S, West Germany, Britain, Italy, and Japan.
The population of Ethiopia is estimated at between twenty-two and twenty- seven million. Throughout much of its history, the county has been ruled by the Amhara and Tigri tribes . The two tribes make up about one third of the population and live in the Northern provinces. Amharic, the major and official language of Ethiopia, is spoken by the Amhara, who with the Tigrai, domi ate the social, economic and political system. Bothe the Amharas and the Tigrais are Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Gallas make up forty percent of the population. The Galla people who live close to the Muslims in the east have adopted Islam as their religion, and those living in the southwest have joined the Coptic Church. Forty other tribes and people speaking various Semitic and Cushtic languages, also live in Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, there are not just one or a few land-tenure systems but a multiplicity of them. There are many variations and combinations among Ethiopia's land-tenure systems such as: Receiving land as it is given by the government, As a granted pension to those who render services to the government, and land leased by the government to individuals for grazing and farming purposes. There is an exception to the emperor and his imperial family. No attempt has been made to distinguish between the emperor's revenues and property and that of the state. Since the emperor's accounts are not made public, and there is no separation of the state and the emperor.
Ethiopia suffered a massive war beginning October 3, 1935. The war began when Emperor Menelik II negotiated with the Italians the Treaty of Uchali May 2, 1889. "The Italians read between the lines and believed that the treaty gave them all control over the foreign affairs of Ethiopia. However, Menelik had a different view of the treaty. He believed that under the treaty, Ethiopia has the right to ask for Italian advice on foreign affairs but that the treaty did not give the Italian government the power to control his nation's international business." (Schwab pg.19) The war between the Italians and Ethiopians ended May 5, 1941. The emperor (Haile Selassie) also delivered a victory day speech to his fellow Ethiopians on May 5.
Born Tafari Makonnen, Haile Selassie entered the world on July 23, 1892, in the village of Ejersa Goro, in the Harar province of Ethiopia. He was born unto mothr was Woizero ("Lady") Yeshimebet Ali Abajifar (his mother) and Ras Makonnen Woldemikael Gudessa (his father). Haile inherited his imperial blood through his paternal grandmother, Princess Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, who was an aunt of Emperor Menelik II. He was a direct descent from Makeda the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of ancient Israel.
Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned November 2, 1930 as Emperor Haile Selassie (Power of the Trinity) Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the Kings of Ethiopia. Early in his reign the new emperor took a major step to bring the Ethiopian government into the 20th century. Traditionally, the power of the government remained in the hands of the Emperor, and the crown served as a symbol of the unity of the Christian/Amhara group. However, in 1931 Haile Selassie publicized his recent development of the first Ethiopian constitution. The emperors institutionalized separation of powers without surrendering power.
The ideas of the most high Haile Selassie and Marcus Garvey (leader of the Pan-African movement) unite to create the Rastafari movement. Marcus Garvey main goal was to inform Africans all around the world to unite and to return to Africa. Because Selassie had to traditional title king of king’s, Lord of Lords, and conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah (because he was the emperor of Ethiopia) some believed that Selassie was the messiah. To add to the claim of support was the fact that Haile claimed to be a descendent of King Davis and his name is made reference to in the Bible. In the Bible the book of Revelation 5:2-5 states, “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals theron? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look theron. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look theron. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals therof." To many this confirmed the belief that the messiah had arrived. Ethiopia became their Zion and Haile Selassie their official Messiah sent directly from God.
From the new belief that Haile Selassie was the messiah, derived the Rastafari religion. The religion is difficult to categorize, because Rastafari is not a centralized organization. Individual Rastafarians work out the truth for themselves, resulting in a wide variety of beliefs. Rastafari is not a highly organized religion; some Rastas say that it is not a "religion" at all, but a "way of Life". Most Rastas do not identify with any denomination but the movement has arisen from Christianity. On the social spectrum, Rastafari is a response to racist negation of black people in Jamaica. In the 1930s, black people were at the bottom of the social order, while white people and their religion were at the top. Marcus Garvey encouraged black people to take pride in themselves and their heritage. He inspired the Rastafarians to embrace all things African.
Haile Selassie died on 27 August of "respiratory failure" following complications from a prostate operation On August 28, 1975. Many believed that complications had occurred and disregarded the view the government had of his death. Many still believe that the Emperor had been killed. From this a nation is dismayed at a loss of a beautiful emperor, revolutionist, and messiah.