From Economic Dependency and Stagnation to Democratic Developmental State: Essays on the Socio-Political and Economic Perspectrives on Ethiopia

The span of the book entitled From Economic Dependency and Stagnation to Democratic Developmental State: Essays on the Socio-political and Economic Perspectives of Ethiopia provides readers with an understanding of the historical context of Ethiopian history, education, and development. Especially illuminating is the emphasis on the intersections between foreign investment, local customs, and other Ethiopian power structures, such as government. Especially important are Chapters 9 and 10, which examine China s increased investment in Africa. As China is also investing heavily in Latin America, to understand its African commitments provides a more wide-ranging holistic view of China s actions in these areas. These chapters will give the reader a better understanding of the complexity of China s foreign policy. Finally, the most valuable contribution of this book can be found in Chapter 14, where Desta provides the reader with potential environmentally sustainable development for Ethiopia. As these proposals rest on the rich history and background delineated throughout the book, they should be seriously considered as a way to improve Ethiopian economy, to move toward a more democratic state, and to improve the lives of the millions of Ethiopians who have yet to benefit from the economic development that has occurred in Ethiopia in the past few decades. Mary B. Marcy, Ph.D., President, Dominican University of California This book demonstrates the complexity of economic growth and development and the intertwined relationship between economics and politics. It represents an important interpretation for the historical dynamics of Ethiopia that are also lessons for other countries. More than 30 years ago Martin Carnoy and I tried to show how there is a struggle within the State between reforms for greater participation and equity of outcomes on the one hand and political and economic forces pushing for inequality and social control. This book attempts to show how this struggle has played out in Ethiopia. Henry M. Levin, Ph.D., William Heard Kilpatrick Professor of Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University From Economic Dependency and Stagnation to Democratic Developmental State: Essays on the Scio-political and Economic Perspectives of Ethiopia is a comprehensive survey and an analysis of the historical roots, development and consequences of the interaction of politics, economics and education in Ethiopia over a span of more than a century. This penetrating, insightful and provocative book brings an insider s insight into a crucible for young and old Ethiopians to read and debate their future in light of their history and experience. The book raises the many ways in which the major players of development have failed the struggling people of Ethiopia whom they were meant to serve. The book integrates theory, research, is packed with timely examples and updated data, and can serve an excellent reference book for students, specialists and researchers on Ethiopian economy, education, politics and development studies. Therefore, this extensive work is a must read by students of development studies. Tesfay Teklu, Ph.D., Emeritus Senior Research Fellow, University of Legion, Accra, Ghana and Associate Professor of Demography, University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.