SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This volume is the first ever economics handbook on a single African country focused on the theme of structural transformation. It is intended to serve as a major reference book on the Ethiopian economy for university students, researchers, and policymakers. Part I, covering the period 1890–2017, deals with the transition from a traditional to a modern economy, from the period of Imperial rule under Emperor Haile Selassie, through the Derg regime to the post-1991 government of the EPRDF. Issues including land tenure, ethnic federalism, the constitutional framework, and legal institutions are assessed extensively. Part II deals with economic policies for structural transformation in the post-1991 period, covering topics such as the development of the financial sector, trade and infrastructure policies, poverty reduction strategies, and the focus on green and climate-resilient transformation. Part III focuses on social policy and development, with attention to growth, poverty and inequality, the shifting debate on demography, child nutrition, social protection, education, employment creation, and food security. Part IV examines progress in transforming Ethiopian agriculture and the remaining challenges of upgrading technological innovations to harness the value-added potential of the sector. Part V discusses the processes and policy adaptations undertaken by the government for late industrialization in Ethiopia with special reference to the garment and textile industry. The impact of urbanization on growth and transformation is also considered. Part VI situates the Ethiopian state-led development model in the larger debate of the significance of the East Asian development model to other developing countries such as Ethiopia.