A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855-1991

by Bahru Zewde

Bounded by Sudan to the west and north, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the southeast, and Eritrea and Djibouti to the northeast, Ethiopia is a pivotal country in the geopolitics of the region. Yet it is important to understand this ancient and often splintered country in its own right.

In A History of Modern Ethiopia, Bahru Zewde, one of Ethiopia's leading historians, provides a compact and comprehensive history of his country, particularly the last two centuries. Of importance to historians, political scientists, journalists, and Africanists alike, Bahru's A History of Modern Ethiopia, now with additional material taking it up to the last decade, will be the preeminent overview of present-day Ethiopia.

Genres: Ethiopia, History, Africa, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2001

About the author

Professor Bahru Zewde is a distinguished historian of Ethiopia and Africa. He received his B.A. with distinction from the Haile Selassie I University (1970) and his PhD from the University of London (1976). He has taught at the Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (USA), Hamburg University (Germany), and has served as director of the Institute of Ethiopia Studies at Addis Ababa University, editor of the Journal of Ethiopian Studies, the Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review, and Africa Review of Books and as member of the International Advisory Board of the Journal of African History, president of the Association of Ethiopian Historians, resident vice-president of the Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA), and first vice-president of the Association of African Historians. Currently, he serves as the executive director of the Forum for Social Studies (Ethiopia) and a board member of Trust Africa.

He authored widely acclaimed books (including A History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991 (2001) and Pioneers of Change in Ethiopia: The Reforming Intellectuals of the Early Twentieth Century (2002), edited a book entitled Between the Jaws of Hyenas: A Diplomatic History of Ethiopia 1876-1896 (2002), co-edited a book (Ethiopia: The Challenge of Democracy from Below (2002), and compiled A Short History of Ethiopia and the Horn (1998). He is also the author of more than 30 articles and book chapters.

Professor Bahru has received numerous awards and fellowships including the British Council Scholarship, British Academy Fellowship, a French Government research grant, and Japan Foundation fellowship. He was USIA/NEH visiting scholar at Boston University and visiting fellow at St. Cross College and St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University. He is also the recipient of the Golden Jubilee Award for “diligence, exemplary conduct and outstanding contribution” from Addis Ababa University.

Reviews

[J Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is more of a political and economic history of Ethiopia as opposed to a general history but does describe the major events in fairly good detail for an introductory book.

[Abreham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant lesson in writing as much as it was in modern history of Ethiopia.

I have a technical education so I didn't get a chance to study history [of Ethiopia] in any meaningful way. Of course I have taken History classes in elementary & highschool, but the disparity of content and oversimplification of topics made learning them feel like a mindless memorization of names, places and dates... And the extracurricular public literature of the subject is evidently plagued with a battle for controlling narratives as a means of advancing political goals. This made me wary of anything written concerning 'history' since I don't have the necessary background to differentiate the science from the 'propaganda' until I decided to give this one a [last] try.

I was surprised. This is the first book in which I found Ethiopian history presented as a body of knowledge with the necessary context, packed with superb analysis & insights and consumable by a layman. And the lucid writing!!!


A really good read.

[N.W. Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry, but informative. Zewde isn't a very good writer, though he is a very good analyst. Overall, a great way to learn modern Ethiopian history.

[Danielle Laman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fascinating and unique history of the East African nation. Sadly it is a very dry political, economic history of Ethiopia which feels at times like essays on the history rather than a cohesive story of how modern Ethiopia came to be. Which honestly is a shame as many aspects of the social, cultural and political history on their own really are fascinating in the small parts we see through parts (for me the growth from Menelik II's Reign or growth of Ethiopia as a major African power). Currently this is the only book i have found but look forward to learning more elsewhere.

[Andrew Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though I enjoyed reading this, and found the research and writing style to be strong, there was serious issues of reflexive and overwhelming nationalist bias.
Pakistan, Guatemala, Burma and South Africa were labelled as "countries with an anti-Ethiopian stand" because they gave weight towards Eritrean perspectives. The author is so anti-Eritrean and Ethiopian nationalist that he completely disregards Eritrean value and perspectives.

His anti-colonialist diatribes become hollow and lacking in credibility because of the unbalanced way he looks at Eritrea and Somalis. Basically he is against imperialism that slights Ethiopia and for it when Ethiopia is the imperial power, which does not make him an anti-colonialist, just an Ethiopian partisan.
The rather marginal interference by Britain from 1941-1944 is unforgiveable, but the total domination of Somalis/Ethiopians is absolutely commendable. When Ethiopians have a resistance against Italy it is the height of heroism, but Somalis who fight against Ethiopia are portrayed as ambitious and scheming scum.

This is a suitable book for those who know little about Ethiopia or for those looking to understand this period in greater detail. It is also of value to researchers who are seeking to see the Ethiopian nationalist perspective.

[Brag Iyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While being a great introduction to the general history of modern Ethiopia, the quality of the book is not evenly divided. Some chapters are in depth and include both history of legal, socio-economic analysis, trade and mor, while others are more or less a history of great men and military events. The first chapters especially are more or less just wars, kings and courtiers - without much deeper analysis. The book definitely picks up from chapter 3 and onwards, where it includes more in depth analysis. Its unevenness leads to a book where you get different types of information about different periods.

[Thomas Feng · Rating 3 out of 5]

helpful but so very dry; facts, figures, names pile up. but this may be a symptom of its general, concise nature: and for the specific things I was reading “for”, this book offered a compact retelling. I echo others’ sentiments about the book’s curious anti-Eritrean and anti-Somali stances. glad i read it, glad it’s over with!

[Mahder Worku · Rating 5 out of 5]

well as every man should do you should start with your own countries your own identity and your own Origins and so I did and it was very great to see our history and how we came about and I know this is cliche that's those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it and that is happening today in this land

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the highest level, it provides a survey overview of modern Ethiopian history - one of very few English language options. But the story often seems superficial (Italian occupation in the 1930s) and the prose fails to captivate.

[Aschalew · Rating 1 out of 5]

O

[Stefanos Spyridon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive history. At times overly focused on individual men without then providing the bigger picture. Concise.

[Julian Mydlil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed and useful history, but the prose usually failed to capture my attention - it was overly dry at times.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a fantastic analyst though as others have noted not the strongest of writers. I learned a lt from his book -- that Italy proposed post-World War I that it get French and British Somaliland to add to Italian Somaliland. A proposal which would have been a huge step toward a united Somalia. I also learned during this period the British dreamed of Dam on Lake Tana –shades of the contemporary mining project.
More shockingly is the politics between Mussolini, Haile Selassie, and the UK in the post 1919 period. Mussolini dropped his opposition to Ethiopia in the League of Nations because he knew the UK opposed Ethiopia in the LoN even more. Even worse was in the 1925 there were letters between Mussolini and the British ambassador effectively dividing Ethiopia between them – a violation of the LoN’s spirit. In the 1920s, there were chants of “Viva Ras Tefari” with Haile Selassie visited Italy in the 1920s . There were discussions were made about selling Ethiopia the port of Assab – but, the Ethiopians thought the price was too high. A calculation that though little remembered would have a profound impact on the future of the Horn of Africa.
The author mentions the Japanist faction in Ethiopia in the Pre-WWII period but, it was stronger than he suggests. Ethiopian modelled its constitution on Japan’s and there were even reportedly some schemes for intermarriage between the two empires. During World War II Japan sent a shipment of tires to help Italian East African forces under the Duke of Aosta – though they were apparently the wrong size. Not enough attention is also spent on the crimes of Ethiopia’s brutal communist regime which claimed the lives of over a million people and whose perpetrators are living unpunished around the globe.
I also found interesting (an the author makes the claim several times) that the Mahdist Sudan was will into concede some territory to Christian Ethiopia in order to limit European influence. A thesis that significantly degrades the view of the Mahdi as a proto-islamist

[Ashenafi Nebro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me know some of the basic facts of Ethiopian history. Besides it made me appreciate the vast, rich culture as well as the the complex cultural, political and religious interrelations. It is not an easy read. But must be read by any one who wishes to have a solid knowledge base on the general history of Ethiopia.

[Bobbettylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough and scholarly yet readable. Would be of more valuable for the non-Amharic reader if it had a more extensive glossary of foreign words.