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3/23/1957 - Foundations of Power in Ethiopia by Smith Hempstone Jr.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS H IS Narch Foundations Power Ethiopia Addis Ababa Ethiopia mailed Nairobi Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue York New York Dear Nr Rogers There seems understandable degree confusion concerning sources political power Ethiopia This confusion result Imperial proclamation United States foreign policy Haile Selassie I restoration Solomonic throne established constitution which promulgated years earlier which provided legislature judiciary executive ministries In Emperor promulgated constitution which again guaranteed three sections government At described himself ruling hereditary constitutional monarch The U S State Department behalf American peopTe apparently accepted description In point monarchy neither hereditary constitutional Haile Selassie indeed blood aristocracy Ethiopia Bt direct As explained subsequent newsletter reached throne Coup father cousin Emperor enelik II Even branch family there princes notably redoubtable Ras Desta against Italians after Emperor England stronger claims throne So blood Is Ethiopia constitutional monarchy The answer question categorically It possible Haile Selassie would country become constitu tional monarchy But facts these legislative branch consisting Chamber Deputies Senate purely advisory members appointed Emperor The judiciary appointed responsible Empe There course provision referend The Emperor announced recently there elections within months Chamber Deputies sense these elections matter conjecture sources optimistic although general feeling election matter righted controlled better election having allowed elections almost impossible withdraw right recall And Star Chamber proceedings according Article Constitution Judges shall public except cases which might endanger public order affect public morals camera permissable always cases involving political prisoners The executive ministries appointed Emperor responsible their fluence family connections afford If accept Ethiopia neither constitutional hereditary monarchy beyond blood people sources power mountain empire The personality emperor certainly factor Historically strong emperor Theodore Yohannes enelik II control turbulent princes chiefs subdue Amharic speaking tribes provinces empire short reign Conversely emperor nothing symbol without power dignity subject princes church And there I believe sources political power Ethiopia Princes Church Army Of these I church greatest And perhaps interesting institution Ethiopia Ethiopians Christians The Church founded wrecked youth named Frumentius He other spared slaughter survivors shipwreck brought court He companion stayed several years court served tutors children gained great favor royal In their years Ethiopia youths aroused emperor interest Christianity finally freed telling bishops instruct people Frumentius companion apparently sidered himself whole business Frumentius presented himself Athanasius patriarch Alexandria story One powerful families country Wolds Makonnen Abte Wold inister Finance _inister Propaganda brothers Aklilou Abte Wold Akaele Abte Wold inister Foreign Affairs Vice kinister Education respectively The Emperor inister Education This means Wolds belong reactionary aristocracy three eight ministries They powerful deposed Emperor should SH The patriarch interested enough consecrte Frumentius Catholicus Abys sinia aOout D Thms trouble Christendom The hundred years Arian iacedonian Apollinarian Nestorian heresies Through these troubled times Coptic Egyptian Church daughter Ethiopia often mistakenly called Coptic itself stronghold Nicene faith But fought strongly against Nestorian Christ clothed Godhead overcoat toppled rocky orthodoxy proclaimed manhood Christ absorbed divinity The Council Chalcedon A D proclaimed views wrong asserted opinion Western Churches Greek Orthodox Church Christ nature divine In adherence monophysite Christ dropped years Christendom Coptic Ethiopian churches differ world Aside doctrinal differences rituals Which lebrates common Coptic Church liturgy St numerous fasts elongated Lent ritual bathing Epiphany Coptic calendar which dates Era 7artyrs Ethiopia twelve months thirteenth month extra Ethiopian Church features peculiar itself which widen between other Christian churches world Some dancing priests beating drums services animal sacrifices dedication churches lunar feasts probably overs worship Other practices H ebraic observe osaic distinction between clean unclean regard those sexual intercourse impure following celebrate Sabbath Sunday Ethiopian legend genelik I Solomon Queen Sheba believe c0try Hebrew faith until conversion Frumentius third century historians however opinion Jewish influence reached thiopia Arabian peninsula either before concurrent introduction Christianity Given faith based partly pagan beliefs partly monophysite Christianity partly Judaism Ethiopian SH Church Islam found itself Christendom thousand years Quite naturally church became rigid introverted dogmatic conservative force conservative society Backed state which needed sanction powerful The number priests monks today somewhere around million country Christians seven million uslims The Church about third Ethiopia And Church people stronger Cut outside influence devoted itself develop obscure dogma liturgy celebrated Ge forgotten tongue priests people understand There educational rquirements other ability understand Ge deacons years ordained thousands powerful Catholicus As people concerned being Christian meant primarily fulfilling prescribed forms worship Few mortal again concern going through motions religion With excommunication hands wealth partnership state Church grown until speak Church speak state One motor other drive shaft It often whether motor turnin drive shaft versa In Haile Selassie drive power first actions secure support Church This further explained future newsletter Since gaining power further cemented position severing connection between Coptic Egyptian Church Ethiopian Church Now finest Archbishop Ethiopian Church Ethiopian rather Egyptian He independence Ethiopian Church simple announced canon Council Nicea which stated Ethiopian Catholicus appointed Alexandrian patriarch forgery And Emperor helped Church maintain revenues provide education priests The Church primary source power Ethiopia No reaches throne without support there without The second source power which always appear state where adherence democratic principle verbal rather actual Again Haile Selassie spite courage ability royal blood support church never could become emperor without oldest recommendation The loyalty personal thing It pends first On loyalty officers secondly attitude Imperisl Guard The Imperial Guard which numbers Empire It entirely separate officers course guiding principle devotion person Emperor embers Imperial Guard generally better clothed their opposite numbers generally highly regarded military servers It battalion Guard which fought through Korean War without losig prisoner The Guard usually asstumed completely loyal Emperor lawful successor This follow genelik because successor uslim Imperial Guard affronted Ethiopian Christians If Guard remains loyal depended Each emperor however attempted isure loyalty granting soldiers certain privileges emperor himself popular allowing periodic holidays looting rspine among defenseless tribesmen nowadays thing frowned Haile Selassie Roman emperors courts favor giving veterans granting special favors The police which number about another factor important Guard since organized tactical units Their loyalty sought insured blankets special favors The force dozen propeller driven fighters submarine chaser negligible factors Having created present emperor particularly loyal The third final source political power Ethiopia aristocracy The nobles Ethiopia medieval barons England often scourge backbone monarchy Less years zesterday history Ethiopia consisted literally scores independent quasi independent kingdoms When British explorer Henry Salt arrived Ethiopia presents Brittanic iajesty Emperor Ethiopia found himself quite quandry there emperors apparently strong claim throne Salt presents King Tigre The great Emperor Theodore woman remedies himself started highwaynan SH gathered force malcontents adventurers province province awarded found himself That title Emperor course iplies multiple system royalty Strong kings always ruled Tigre owing nomina allegiance emperor There until years kings Gojjam Gondar north Shoa central Ethiopia baker dozen Galla Dankali chiefs guslim sultinates Ogaden The independence chiefs varied proportion ately distance inaccessability their kingdoms imperial capital enelik II present emperor uncle really first crush power local rases maintain control physical mental powers their Soon after death empire practically dissolved When Haile Selassie throne capture Nenelik gains But strongest factor favor national catastrophe Italian conquest The invasion consolidate nobility common cause imperial government And World War II Haile Selassie Western insured return throne When entered Addis Ababa Haile Selassie British bayonets Order stability Ethiopia desirable British point Emperor extended corners empire And again seems moved behalf Haile Selassie majority indepemdnt minded intransigent rase___s fighting Italians Another about aristocracy sense aristo cracy there continuity father The title prince hereditary questio strong right Nowadays awarded title which This quite organization family Ethiopia whereby first Christian father becomes In three generations child nothing common grandfather The other titles Ethiopian escutcheon Dejazmatch Watterweri Grazmach Kenyazmach likewise hereditary refer position honor battle wealth fiefs To ledge about title which inherit Lij That given distinguished means simply It higher titles selves SH It Ethiopian system quite feudal since feudalism although repro bation modern lexicon implied responsibility between liege vassal other yalty respected others rights spheres influence In Ethiopia vassal unless strong enough assert independence emperor respect little throne great The emperors maintain sided bargain large extent because belief people Solomonic legend which establishes N Negas divine The emperors including present tradi tionally dealt mixed robber barons penny chiefs ragged sultans invoking support church keeping playing against another Haile Selassie proved himself ially skill latter tribute cunning provinces order stayed throne without creating single since advent power This course double advan creating possible rivals throne succession question comes But throws terrible weight responsibility narrow shoulders little emperor One might inference created rases Haile Selassie attempting break power nobles There strong possibility In would likely other group would replace rases basis power prevent possible stsnd between Church Army There possibilities The first Emperor exerting heavy pressure U S technical military assistance hopes build prestige power dynasty himself important politik West T East invulnerable longer tacit support Church Army insure succession The alternative political scientists Third Force development strong democratic middle class devoted monarchy perhaps support Ethiopia herself lacks capital create industrial necessary formation middle class depend foreign investment which means American She learn before attrsot erican private investors Government investment course another thing dollar losses counter lanced political gains At presen seeds middle class scratch enough students Imperial Point IV Agricultural Colleges Harar Jimra student community health officers World Health Organization school Gondar technical trainees Dutch sugar plantations Vonji It It For moment power Ethiopia resting temporarily hands intelligent dynamic emperor fundamentally based three historic props which always rested Church Nobles If other should Sincerely Smith Hemp Received New York I