Opposition to Haile Selassie

Opposition to Haile Selassie relied largely on internal administration of the Ethiopian Empire. While Emperor Haile Selassie made attempts to modernize the country and increase its global power after Italian occupation in 1936–1941, the later administration met with negative public attitude, especially among educated people in universities and peasants.

Haile Selassie portrait

There were several coup attempts to overthrow Selassie's government, notably in 1960, and several high profile events degraded Selassie's reputation, including over taxation in Gojjam since 1930, famines in Tigray and Wollo provinces since 1958, and autocratic land seizure.

The first student movements were held in 1965 at Addis Ababa University seeking land redistribution and abolition of feudalism. Other aspect includes the Eritrean War of Independence in 1962, seeking Eritrean autonomy from the Ethiopian imperial government.

In 1974, Selassie was finally overthrown during the Ethiopian Revolution.


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