The Developmental State Vs Neo-Liberal Market “Priests” Divide In Ethiopia: Unending Policy Debates and Alternatives on Land Tenure System

Abstract

In pre-1975 Ethiopia, the slogan “Land to the Tiller” was one rallying cry National Question that fueled the Revolution. The question of land use and ownership defines not only the justice, development and democracy but is also critical in regime stability and survival. Until the last decade of the 20^th C, both the feudal and socialist state were hard-hit by politics of land. This land question is also carried over to the post-1991 state in a rather varied context: the land policy contention encamped between developmental states vs. neoliberal market. The post-1991 state intercepted the collapse of the Eastern Camp and the globalization of market forces which marked the inadequacy of the state into the status of “night-watchman”. In such neoliberal international system, however, the Ethiopian state took a radical path alien to its predecessors and the neoliberal state policy prescriptions as well known as developmental state. This state held the primacy of the state over neoliberal market for the reality that profit driven market is irrelevant in poor countries with market failure excesses. The post-1991 Ethiopian developmental state claims “no democracy and development without land in the public and equally no survival without democracy and development”. Ethiopia is now among the fastest growing economies, peaceful federation with stable and democratic regime. Despite of this, legacy of the politics of, and quest for, democracy, development and economics of livelihood of the nation  geared by the neoliberal state and by the reliance of the country’s economy in the agricultural sector which has been experiencing “tragedy of transformation” at least until the end of 1990s has put the land debate among multiple national agenda . Both contending sides on the debate provided land policy issues revolving around land tenure options to use land as dynamic force for alleviating poverty and bringing about development. On the centre of shared interest, but incompatible means, lies the firm necessity to cultivate peasant confidence, security, and equitable and efficient allocation of economic resources in a holistic approach. The debate is featured by convergence of, end, interests of both parties to alleviate poverty, secure rights of farmers, and bring about sustainable development via sound agrarian transformation. The key conflict lies on the means, how, to realize the shared, end, interest. The causes that inflame both contending sides are also commonly articulated issues of poverty, equity, efficiency, justice, security, growth, employment, development, etc.

Keywords: Developmental State, Neoliberal Market, Land Question, Development, Democracy, Land Tenure System, Agrarian Economy, Peasant and Rural Transformation