jjares reviewed Haile Selassie: The Life and Legacy of the Ethiopian Emperor Revered as the Messiah by Rastafarians on + 3275 more book reviews
This book opens with 'the Scramble for Africa,' a time in which the European powers determined how to colonize Africa and avoid war amongst the European states. The German chancellor called a conference in 1884-85; white men decided how to divvy up Africa and control indigenous peoples.
Before the beginning of World War II, Benito Mussolini decided to overrun Ethiopia, a sovereign country in Africa. With power aplenty, the Italians took over the country as its king, Haile Selassie, escaped on a train. He spent some years of asylum in England. When he returned to Ethiopia, he was busy modernizing the country. He also became one of the earliest notable Africans on the world stage.
I thought the book made an interesting point that Selassie was the most forward thinker when he returned to Ethiopia but eventually his ideas were out-of-touch with the common man. Although Selassie brought forward the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Alignment Movement, he did not bring democracy to Ethiopia. He was dedicated to his monarchy and the 1960 attempted coup was a wake-up call. The 1970s were a bad time for African status-quo. As the Marxist movement infiltrated student and worker unions, people were less satisfied with the opulence of the monarchy vs. the poverty of most Ethiopians.
Haile Selassie's death has always been shrouded in mystery. However, later it was determined that he was murdered by military officers. After that, the country spiraled downward with poor leadership for two decades. It wasn't until 2000 that Selassie's remains were found and formally buried according to Ethiopian Christian rites.
Before picking up this book, I knew next to nothing about Ethiopia and Haile Selassie. After reading this rather short story, I felt that I had a much better understanding of the country and this unique leader.
Before the beginning of World War II, Benito Mussolini decided to overrun Ethiopia, a sovereign country in Africa. With power aplenty, the Italians took over the country as its king, Haile Selassie, escaped on a train. He spent some years of asylum in England. When he returned to Ethiopia, he was busy modernizing the country. He also became one of the earliest notable Africans on the world stage.
I thought the book made an interesting point that Selassie was the most forward thinker when he returned to Ethiopia but eventually his ideas were out-of-touch with the common man. Although Selassie brought forward the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Alignment Movement, he did not bring democracy to Ethiopia. He was dedicated to his monarchy and the 1960 attempted coup was a wake-up call. The 1970s were a bad time for African status-quo. As the Marxist movement infiltrated student and worker unions, people were less satisfied with the opulence of the monarchy vs. the poverty of most Ethiopians.
Haile Selassie's death has always been shrouded in mystery. However, later it was determined that he was murdered by military officers. After that, the country spiraled downward with poor leadership for two decades. It wasn't until 2000 that Selassie's remains were found and formally buried according to Ethiopian Christian rites.
Before picking up this book, I knew next to nothing about Ethiopia and Haile Selassie. After reading this rather short story, I felt that I had a much better understanding of the country and this unique leader.
