In this highly complicated and globalised world the issue of national identity
and nation-state become more urgent than ever before. Since many African leaders
including the Ethiopian government (EPRDF government) are not governing their
own affairs any more, even the uneducated people ask themselves, whether they
are living in a sovereign country or not. Many people in Ethiopia ask themselves
what could be left for the future generation if political vandalism becomes the
order of the system. Leaving aside the problem of other African countries, what
is going on in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia needs deep studies and
scientifically validated answers if all these three nations will have in the
future a functioning government, a dynamic economic system and a social order
which can accommodate all groups in all these countries. Since the problem in
Somalia directly and indirectly affects Ethiopia, we Ethiopians cannot ignore if
things are out of control in Somalia. That does not mean that any Ethiopian
government must interfere in the internal affairs of Somalia. What I want to say
is the chaotic situation in any neighbouring country will have damaging effects
for the stability of the entire region. As long as there is no durable peace the
people of the region will be compelled to live in poverty and hunger.
The issue of terrorism and economic globalisation and now land grabbing on a
higher scale are putting many countries in a defensive position. Especially the
war in Somalia which is going on in the name of fighting terrorism and the
displacement of innocent people, and the bleak situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea
are worrying some which attract many nations to convert the region to a
permanent war field. Therefore it is our task to study the causes of war, hunger
and underdevelopment so that we can give proper and durable solution. Political
vandalism as we see in Ethiopia and Eritrea is culturally rooted in our society,
and it is the result of unsolved and accumulated problems. In societies where
integrated and well functioning economic structures and a social order do not
exist, such kind of situation is suitable for political vandalism. In regions or
countries where political disorder is the rule of the system, where political
and social consciousness is not developed, foreign forces use the weak situation
of such countries and try to manipulate the leaders to be dragged into war. The
result will be dislocation of innocent people and wasting of human and natural
resources. In this case what is going on in Somalia and the intervention of
Ethiopia in the internal affairs of Somalia and the war between Eritrea and
Ethiopia destabilise all the people who are living in that region. If we closely
study the situation, the war in this region is a proxy war. The people of these
countries are simply the victims of their ignorant leaders, who do not
understand social history, and who are not capable of creating a system where
all the people could freely exercise their creative power.
In order to understand the complex situation that the region faces, we have to
connect the problem of consciousness with the issue of economic development and
this with the question of nation-state formation. I maintain that only social,
cultural and political consciousnesses are the true foundation of genuine
economic development and nation building. In the absence of national
consciousness and deep understanding of historical and social processes, no
country can build a viable nation-state.
The Issue of National Consciousness
Let me ask some questions. Is there anything that can happen without the
involvement of the mind? Isn’t it the mind which guides and controls us to do
things in a way we like and plan or is it something else? What kinds of things
shape our minds to behave irrationally or rationally? How do we perceive the
role of culture in shaping our minds? I think these are some of the questions
which we have to pose if we want to understand the role of consciousness in our
relationship to a particular nation.
In the academic circle, especially among Ethiopians there is a common belief
that the absence of a democratic system is responsible for the plight of our
people. Some of us may think that our leaders are by nature brutal and are not
shaped by the cultural circumstances which prevail in our country. We have been
accusing the Military regime to be brutal without taking into account the social
and cultural context in which the military leaders are brought up. We forget
that before the military leaders in Ethiopia became `socialists` they were
trained by a military ideology which was produced outside the socialist block
countries. The present regime of Meles Zenawi is being accused for his
dictatorial, dived and rule system without trying to understand the
circumstances in which Meles and his compatriots are brought up or were
socialized. Such kinds of simplistic approach will not solve the problem in
which our country finds itself in. We cannot get answer for such complex
problems and irrational behaviour from the perspective of political science as
if the issue is a pure political problem. In other words, even if we have a
certain kind of `democratic rule` as we wish, the problem of underdevelopment
and poverty will not easily be solved. Nor can one cope with the issue of war
and hunger. If we want to get a definite answer we have to go beyond
conventional politics and supposed democratic rules.
It is not without reason that since three thousand years philosophers and
psychologists have tried to investigate the role of the mind in understanding
the way human beings feel, think and handle. They have well understood that
without taking into consideration the role of the mind and the cultural
situation of a given country, one could not grasp the nature of political
leaders. From pre-Socratic philosophers to Socrates and Plato, and until the
17th century, the main occupation of philosophers was to investigate the
different parts of the mind. Since human beings are different from animals,
because they can think rationally and are able to change their environment, some
are not in a position to use this God-given mental power to pose questions and
behave rationally. They will be driven by emotion and their own will and destroy
their own nation. Freud teaches us that there are three parts in our minds which
are responsible for our behaviour. The first one is the oldest and most
primitive part of the mind. In this part human beings have all sorts of wishes
and primitive thinking. This part is devoid of any rational order and is guided
by simple egoistic motive. The second part is the part which shapes and
characterises the personality of an individual. It can be shaped by
circumstances in which certain persons are brought up and are socialized. The
role of teachers and parents play crucial roles in shaping this part of the
mind. Through time and any kind of positive changes this part will be more and
more socialised and becomes conscious. Its thinking and handling will be
controlled by the given social circumstances which are prevailing in a given
country. There is a permanent struggle between the egoistic or irrational part
and the socialized part. In this case the third part takes the role of mediation
and tries to balance both of the parts. In other words the egoistic part will be
compelled to adapt to the given situation and handles in a way what the given
social circumstance expects. According to Freud, the third part is responsible
for cognitive thinking of the human mind, planning and decision-making. The
problem here is that in certain circumstances the appetitive part will dominate,
and irrational behaviour becomes the rule of certain groups. We have seen in
history that though certain rulers are brought up in civilized circumstances
their thinking and handling become irrational. Hitler is a vivid example of why
even education cannot change the already fixed attitude of hate and
aggressiveness. Thousands of scientists, philosophers’ musicians and men of
theatre blindly followed Hitler and believed in his Nazi propaganda of
eliminating the Jews and other minority groups.
Human beings are like monads. They are active and perfect. They are
self-contained, independent and act by themselves. They have internal power.
Whereas the monads do not have windows, human beings can be influenced by
external circumstance. If they are not in a position to question and analyse
they will be victims of false ideology. In most cases human beings do not use
their internal power to develop as an independent agent and act actively. Due to
false education and ideology, the inner power that each possesses by nature will
be eroded. In this case individuals will become the victim of false ideology,
and their minds will be intrigued by hate and anger. They are not conscious any
more of what they are doing. Even if they are educated they lack profound
thinking. They will become suspicious and are not ready to accept criticism.
Their minds will be closed for new ideas. Because they already have a fixed
idea, they distance themselves from the masses. The lack of self-confidence
makes them traitors and they are ready to sell their mother land. Such people do
not understand the role of an individual in shaping its society and the
relationship between an individual and the society in general. Concepts, such as
society, individual freedom, genuine economic development and nation-state are
not integrated in their minds. They think that a society is a loosely organised
structure, in which everybody comes and does whatever he/she likes. When any
country is governed by such kinds of unconscious elements, and when it has
thousands of so-called educated people, the country in question cannot be an
arena in which the citizens exercise their true freedom. Unfortunately, Ethiopia
is governed since immemorial by such kinds of elements, and there are thousands
of Ethiopians who become the victim of such kinds of manipulated education
system.
Now we can come to the role of culture in shaping the human mind. It is well
investigated and studied that in early childhood stage proper education has a
positive impact on the thinking capacity of a child and its handling. Likewise
the entire circumstance, environment, school system, the role of parents and
teachers, neighbourhood and other factors have roles in shaping the mind of a
growing child. The humanness of a person, his love for others and his country
and his entire environment depends on the education system in which one is
brought up from the beginning of childhood. Especially the love of the parents
is imminent in shaping the behaviour of a given child. One cannot regain the
lost opportunity once a person is matured enough. By chance or with special
therapy it may be possible to positively shape the character of an individual.
To be concrete, when it comes to our country, why does Ethiopia have to
experience such bloody years? Why its people have been suffering all the last
four decades by those forces who are born, grown and went to school in Ethiopia?
Though going to school means to get proper education in order to behave properly
and humanly, why did those children become murderous? What motivates some to
become agents of foreign forces which are struggling to dismantle Ethiopia? Why
did they raise arms in the name of freedom though there are other means to bring
smooth changes into our society? Can we blame as we usually do that a particular
ideology did play a role in masterminding the so-called revolutionaries to
behave irrationally? In our country and even in many earlier socialist countries
communism as an ideology is being blamed for what happened in all these
countries. The relative prosperity in many western capitalist countries
including the United States over the last 5 decades has blinded our minds. We
all have forgotten the atrocities committed by these so-called civilized
countries against Africa and other Third World Countries. The First and the
Second World War, though it is not a world war in the true sense of the word,
had happened in the civilized Europe. It is become common to accuse a certain
ideology in order to cover ones` own agenda.
Though ideology has a certain role in shaping the human mind, those persons who
became acquaintance with the socialist ideology at the age of twenty or more had
a different historical background which is fixed in their minds. In this case I
do not blame Marxism for the political vandalism and murderous act that the
student movement had inflicted and the Military government including the present
have done against our beloved country. I maintain that the cultural context in
which we are brought up, that is the rigid feudal attitude is responsible for
our inflexible and inhuman attitude. With this the education system, with which
we are brought up makes us anti-nationalistic and subversive. Regardless of what
the leaders of the student movement wrote on their banners, in essence they have
created a situation for anti-Ethiopian sentiments. What matters is not the
intention in this case. The bloody war which was committed in the name of the
revolution bothers many people. The deaths of their children and relatives have
wiped all the joys form their minds and they are condemned to live in permanent
sadness. On the other side all ethnic based so-called freedom fighters had one
thing in their minds. If we take all the organisations which rose arms in the
name of freedom their intention was and is to dismantle Ethiopia. Undoubtedly
they became victims of foreign forces, and were mislead to destroy their own
people. They are at the same time the victims of their unconscious act. They
could not pose questions, or try to behave like normal people to check their
thinking and handling. As Freud said they are driven by their irrational motives
to take power and install their own dreams. All what is identified as Amhara
culture is associated with Ethiopia. Ethiopia as an “Empire state” must be
vanished from the map of the world. Though culture and the formation of
nation-sates are like biological processes, these so-called freedom fighters
could not understand why the supposed Amhara culture had its beginning in the
north and could spread southwards. All nations and cultures had taken more or
less the same path. When we study and understand the formation of states, we can
understand the necessity of building a nation-state.
What makes our country unique is the incomplete nation-state building and the
unconscious role of our rulers and the special circumstances that our country
has been experiencing over the last thousand years. All these factors including
the so-called modern education system are responsible for misguided thinking and
handling. In this case our consciousness and our love for our country cannot be
seen isolated from the entire socialization process within which we are brought
up. The question arises: How can we turn these bad circumstances in which we are
finding ourselves, and can behave normally and play a positive role to build a
democratic and strong Ethiopia. When certain groups still believe that Ethiopia
in general has been ruled over the last thousand or so years by Amharas and
Tigrians, how could we convince them that this was not the case and that the
situation must be studied thoroughly through a different prism. The issue of
ethnic nationalism is not the problem of the masses. It is an elite problem,
which cannot understand its own role, and is being languished by an inferiority
complex. The Ethiopian masses in general do not have any problem in identifying
themselves with their culture and country. The masses are ready to learn new
things and change themselves, whereas the elites of different nationalities are
not ready to do so.
By historical chance, some groups or nationalities develop some kinds of
division of labour. They develop a language and by that a culture. The
development of a certain culture, division of labour, and written languages are
sometimes accidental, because some groups may have contacts at earlier time with
the outside world. These kinds of cultural developments cannot and will not
remain fixed in one area. Through trade relationships and through various kinds
of movements, because human beings are mobile, there come contacts with other
communities. The expansion and intermingling of culture and language will become
a historical necessity. Since all groups could not develop equally, because of
social and cultural uniqueness of the various groups, the developed culture will
be taken by other groups. In this way all cultures across the glob could develop
and march towards the formation of any kind of state system. The development of
state, social structure and nation-state are a historical necessity. Since human
beings are condemned by nature to live within a community and are compelled to
form any kind of social organization, individual self-realization can only be
achieved within a given community. For various reasons, like lack of cultural
and historical consciousness, the group that holds political power cannot bring
the necessary development. In this case, and due to external manipulation and
pressure, certain countries could not develop into an accomplished nation-state.
The case of our country is a vivid example, why especially the elites of various
nationalities do not feel that they are belonging to Ethiopia. They think like
this because they misread history and they overstate the consciousness of the
political elite that had shaped the history of Ethiopia over the last 800 years.
The Ethiopian feudal system was a unique social structure that did not allow the
development of division of labour. Handicraft activities and trading were seen
as activities which could only be carried out by inferior groups. The taste and
the limited need of the ruling feudal elite could not pave the way for the
development of various kinds of commodities. Manufacturing activities were not
known. In areas where it was not possible to develop a division of labour based
on manufacture activities, it was not possible to develop cities. The absence of
a generalised division of labour blocked social mobility. As the people remained
confined to their areas, the development of language and culture on a higher
scale was practically impossible. Accordingly they could not become creative,
and transform their lives. Added to these Ethiopia did not have trade and
cultural relationships with the outside world. All these circumstances and the
rigid nature of the political system could arrest the entire society. As a
consequence poverty, hunger and mass dislocation became the stigma of the
society. The ruling classes could not see beyond their own circumstances. Though
there were attempts by certain rulers to modernize the system, some had resisted
because they felt that their status will be diminished. The transformation and
modernization of the Ethiopian society must be postponed.
One could observe that starting in the 14th century there were attempts to
expand the imperial systems to various regions without modernizing the economic
foundation. From the 17th century onwards the struggle became fiercer and
nation-state formation became inevitable. With Atse Yohannis, Atse Tewodros and
Emperor Menilik II, the crystallization of the system became clearer and
Ethiopia was marching towards a kind of nation-state. Atse Tewodros and Emperor
Menelik II had clearly understood that without changing the social system and
without modernization it was not possible to build an imperial system. Menelik
II had laid the real foundation to build Ethiopia as a nation-state. But due to
various historical circumstances and because of the changing international
politics, it was not possible for him to go further. There were no social forces
which could develop his idea and accomplish his mission. Ethiopia did not have
any middle class and intellectual force which could grasp the idea of Menelik II
and put it into practice. There were no well established social structures in
other areas on which one could expand the system of nation-state building. It is
therefore unwise to accuse our leaders for what had happened during the middle
and late middle ages. We have to understand the nature of social history through
the prism of nation-state formation in Europe.
One could admit today that Emperor Haile Selassie did not understand his role as
a ruler. Nor did the bureaucracy understand its role. First of all Emperor Haile
Selassie had re-installed feudalism and the feudal structure after the defeat of
the Italian fascism. Secondly, he let the British steal which the Italians had
built over 60 years. The British imperialists had stolen all the infrastructure
and industries that the Italians built within a couple of years. Because Emperor
Haile Selassie was only interested in his power, he could not understand what
steps he should take to build a coherent nation-state on the basis of science
and technology. His alignment with America and other western powers did not help
him to build a strong and developed Ethiopia. The monetisation of the economy
could not pave the way for the development of capitalism. The economy becomes
peripheral and subsistence in general. The social structure was contradictory
and there was no social cohesion among the various groups and nationalities.
There was no cultural development which makes the people creative and
innovative. Such a contradictory system gave room for unconscious elements to
put their evil dreams into practice. The student movement was born out of this
contradictory situation not to challenge the nation-state concept but to build a
modern and egalitarian Ethiopia with the help of the ideology of
Marxism-Leninism. I do no want to dwell on what went wrong with the student
movement. Only professional historians and critical researches could answer this
part. I want to affirm that the student movement in general is not
anti-Ethiopian. Its an uncritical approach to social history and misreading of
the Ethiopian history and its meagre understanding of human psychology compelled
it to solve the problem by means of arms. This is the greatest crime that the
student movement had inflicted upon our society. The past is past. We do not
have time to lament on things what happened in the past. Our historical role is
to study the Ethiopian social system through a different prism and struggle for
a nation-state based on science and technology. Our mission is not to be caught
with revenge and accuse against each other. Our main agenda must be to struggle
for a nation-state where science and technology flourish and our people live in
peace and prosperity. For that we must have a clear understanding of economic
mechanisms which help us to shape Ethiopia as a modern and dynamic social
structure.
Without having a developed economic structure based on science and technology
the concept of nation-state is inconceivable. The true foundation of a
nation-state and a well functioning social system is to develop a science and
technology based economic system. Only through science and technology could any
country become dynamic and will be integrated from within. Only with a developed
economic and social infrastructure any nation can be respected. The development
of culture on the basis of science is only possible when there is an effort of
creating a science and technology driven economic development. True individual
freedom can be achieved only through science and technology. People of a given
nation will get mental power when they are able to understand the meaning of
science and technology. The development of well structured cities and villages
is the prerequisite of an integrated home market. In short, without science and
technology there is no social transformation. Those countries which still rely
on the production of agricultural products and mineral resources will never see
the true meaning of civilization. They will remain the victim of their own
leaders and foreign forces.
Until now the struggle on a world wide scale is to get supremacy on all fields.
Only few countries have taken for granted that they have a monopoly on science
and technology while the rest of humanity remains as supplier of raw materials.
School books are deliberately written, and teachers are masterminded to spread
such kinds of propaganda. The international division of labour and trade system
become the foundation of this misconceived ideology, and this becomes equal to
science. Science becomes synonymous with exploitation, and enslaving the labour
of Third World countries. Unfortunately we are condemned to think in this
category. Those who think differently and fight for a science and technology
driven economy are seen as abnormal and their approaches is taken as an
unscientific. I think we have to reverse this ideology of brainwashing and must
unmask the true mission of neo-liberalism. In my capacity I have tried to
clarify some of the misconceived ideas in my recent article, in “The Great
Confusion”. For further and elaborative clarification, the works of Professor
Erik Reinhardt and Prof. Gunnar Myrdal are very interesting and should be
studied.
It is important to understand the market economic philosophy of the IMF and the
World Bank if we want to bring a science and technology driven social
transformation in our society. Experiences in many countries have taught us that
the IMF and the World Bank policies do not bring the necessary transformation
what we need. The Chinese have clearly demonstrated that without the
intervention of the IMF and the World Bank experts they could build a strong
economy within three decades. Since the Chinese have the will to develop they
could mobilise all the resources that they have at their disposal. Especially a
country like Ethiopia, which becomes the victim of international finance
oligarchy headed by the IMF and the World Bank, needs genuine transformation
based on a holistic approach. As I have tried to analyse in my work, only a
conscious economic policy based on philosophy and sociology can help Ethiopia to
bring some kind of economic dynamism. With this, as Gunnar Myrdal clearly
demonstrates, institutional reform is needed if we want to achieve a dynamic
economic structure.
The present Ethiopian government which has sold its soul for the international
financial oligarchy has thrown our country into an economic system which is mere
service oriented. According to the philosophy of the regime, only trading
activities and export of unprocessed agricultural products must be the basis of
economic development. Ethiopia must not build a strong home market on the basis
of science and technology. The economic policy of the Meles regime is a policy
of quick acquisition of money. It is not based on a long term strategy to bring
real development through technological development in all areas. The “strategic”
part of the economy is being controlled by the ruling class, and the system
hinders the development of capitalism. It seems that the government works in the
service of foreign forces so that no genuine economic development takes place.
Fertile land is allocated for flower plantation and crops which could serve to
extract diesel. Peasants are deliberately compelled to divert their attention to
crop farming and flower plantation for the world market. On the other hand the
government imports dehydrated cereal products from the European community and
America. Instead of building an internal market, by creating linkages in all
areas the government deliberately destroys the production capacity of the
society. Over the last 20 years the country has produced an omnivorous class
which absorbs the wealth of the society and lavishly spends the money in bars.
This unique and uncultured class becomes a kind of bridge for the infiltration
of bad culture from abroad. With its arrogant behaviour and spreading of bad
habit it destroys the mentality of the youth. The system becomes out of control.
More or less the situation seems like this, and the Ethiopian people are
frustrated by the vulgar nature of the system. They are longing for a system
which transforms their lives and make them self-reliant. It is our duty to show
the road to true civilization. In this case we have to challenge the neo-liberal
economic paradigm which is presented as the only panacea of solving economic and
social problems. Over the last 30 years many African countries have been
practicing the so-called structural adjustment program of the IMF and the World
Bank. None of them could build a dynamic and free economic structure. All
countries that have applied this program could not transform the lives of their
people. I think this must be a lesson to us. The history of nation building
proves that poverty, hunger and underdevelopment cannot be eradicated by market
economic instruments, but only through conscious state economic policy. We can
eradicate poverty and hunger if we accept this fact and open our mind to new
ideas. The experiences of Western Europe after the Second World War, the great
efforts of Japan and South Korea are good examples which help us to draw
lessons. All these countries could build strong economies not by applying a pure
market economic policy but through the combined activities of state intervention
and private initiative.
