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The Genesis and Evolution of the Ethiopian Revolution and the Derg: A Note on Publications by Participants in Events1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2014

Temesgen Gebeyehu
Temesgen Gebeyehu*
Affiliation:
Bahir Dar University
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Extract

In 1974 the Ethiopian government of Emperor Haile-Sellasie was overthrown and replaced by the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC). Also known as the Derg, the PMAC adopted socialism, embarked on radical social changes, and retained power for over two decades under its leader, Mengistu Hayle-Maryam, eventually was overthrown in 1991. The Ethiopian Revolution and the Derg are the topics of several authors, including those publishing close to the events, such as Raul Valdes Vivo, Fred Halliday and Maxine Molyneux, and John Markakis and Nega Ayele, and those writing later, such as Christopher Clapham, Edmond Keller, and Bahru Zewde, to name just a few publishing in English. But other publications, in Amharic and English, remain the focus of a lively academic and public debate in Ethiopia. Most of these writings were produced by participants in events, or, in one case, are transcripts of interviews with participants. Some of the raconteurs were revolutionaries, others were their opponents, and still others were members of the imperial regime. Taken together, these publications shed light on the genesis of the Ethiopian Revolution (the February 1974 movements), the consolidation of Derg (in November 1977), and its aftermath. This note examines some of these materials to bring them to the attention of readers of this journal.

Type
Historiographical Reviews
Information
History in Africa , Volume 37 , 2010 , pp. 321 - 327
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2010

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Footnotes

1

I am grateful to David Henige for giving me the opportunity to publish in History in Africa. I thank the current editors for their advice in revising the final submission.

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