Developmental State

 

According Wikipedia developmental state is a term used by international political economy scholars to refer to the phenomenon of state-led macroeconomic planning in East Asia in the late twentieth century. In this model of capitalism the state has more independent or autonomous political power, as well as extensive regulation and planning. In short Developmental state is unitary very centralized governing system or law.

Ethiopian government it called itself “Developmental Government”. TPLF/EPRDF is creating a developmental state through revolutionary democracy.

According prime minister of Ethiopia, every his government official had visited South Korea more than twice. In our world Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and so far China are the only successful developmental states. It is impossible for all African countries to copy or learn from these Asian countries because they have nothing in common. Ethiopia has no common or similarities with Asian countries at all.

All these Asian countries are unitary country. It impossible for Ethiopia to have developmental government without suspending its decentralized federalist constitution.

All these countries are nation-state of one nation. All these countries are homogenous countries with no tribal and clan structure. Japanese ethnic represent 98.5 of Japan population, Han Chinese represent 95% of Taiwan population, Han Chinese represent 91.51% of China population, Chinese represent 74.2% of Singapore population, and Korean ethnics represent 99.5% South Korean population. All these countries industrialization happen in their costal area.

There is no a single similarities between the federalist Ethiopia and South Korea. There is no country like Ethiopia that industrialized its economy. The is no country in the world with overwhelming tribal and clan structure who industrialized.  There no industrialization or high level civilization that happen hundreds of kilometres far from banks of big river that carry ships or Sea ports.

The “Latin American” approach for developmental state is different, however, as it often takes place at city/municipal level, rather than at a state level and great emphasis on tackling social exclusion. One pioneer in this experience has been Medellin (Colombia second biggest city), whose experience with a local development state has been highly praised by researchers at the overseas development institute.  Developmental State” is not only about notion-state. Regional and local government can do it.  Medellin is second biggest city of Colombia.

There is no developmental state in federalist constitution and without common national purpose and destiny that comes from common identity, history, and culture and value system. Under the federal constitution each Ethiopian states like Amhara, Tigray etc can be developmental states.

There is a lot of similarities between Tigray state and South Korea. Tigray can learn and copy South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Singapore development strategy. Tigray state like South Korea has strong common national purpose and destiny. Today Tigray economic situation and South Korea situation in 1960-70s are the same. Tigray is the only state very near to the port Sea with a good weather condition. If no peace no war ended, if the constitution implemented and state government of Tigray has enough power to make economic and political decisions that Tigray can industrialized very easily.

If state government of Tigray trusted the people of ዓጋመ,  ሽረ, ዓድዋ, ቴንቤን,  አኽሱም,  ኽልተ ላዕለዉ , ራያ ዓዘቦ, እንድርታ , ወልቃይት ጸለምቲ and gave them the power to make decision and implement economic, welfare, criminal and family justice system, social, cultural policies and projects by limiting itself only in very strategic projects like railway, big motor ways, power stations, collecting state tax, national security that Tegaru will build capacity and they will use their regional patriotism and value system to make miracle on industrializing their region, securing social justice, eliminating corruption and injustice.

Every knowledge and politics is local.  Tigray is blessed that the only African nation that has ancient regional and local strong identity that is not based on tribe or clan. PFDJ has ideological reason to destroying Tigrigna local identity. I don’t understand why TPLF wanted to destroy Tigray regional identity.

All Western countries industrialized by local patriotic entrepreneurial industrialist, mayors, governors and administrations who mobilized their people and resources by invoking regional patriotism. There is strong Tigray nationalism and there is ዓጋመ,  ኽልተ ላዕለዉ , ራያ ዓዘቦ etc strong regional and local patriotism that make the impossible possible. This theory had proved by history.

With an exception of few minority that the overwhelming, Amhara population national purpose is to expand their culture and religion because they believe it is their destiny to govern other nation. Except for few minority that the overwhelming, Oromo population national purpose is to keep their tribal way of life. Apart from few minority that are overwhelming, Somali population national purpose is to keep their clannish way of life. Don’t believe me read their websites, books and listen to Amhara, Oromo, Somalis.

Bearing in mind that except a few minority that the overwhelming, Tigray state population purpose is to develop its economy in order to worship God, to have family and to live in peace and dignity. That’s why few Tigray state minority are imposing their nation economic development purpose on these expansionist, tribal and clans nations.

Developmental state is destroying federalism in Ethiopia. Federalism is the only and biggest legacy of TPLF. Developmental state transfer power from nation, nationalities and peoples to few EPRDF cadres in Addis Ababa which is causing corruption, inefficiency and unaccountability. Tigray state government, regional and local administration has no real economical and political power at all. How can Tigray or any ክልል/state government, regional and local administration build and develop capacity without real economical and political power. No state can develop its economy without state government, regional and local administration robust and dynamic capacity.

The only reason TPLF defeated Derg was because it build and develop capacity by giving the መራሒ መስርዕ, መራሒ ጋንታ, መራሒ ሓይሊ, and መራሒ ቦጦሎኒ real political and military power to make decision in seconds. Their success and victory on defeating enemy and on creating harmony, selflessness  and honesty prove that their decision was excellent, fair, efficient  and effective. TPLF has centralized or one objective but never had centralized decision making mechanism or few elite who make micro decisions. No one can make good decision or policy that is excellent, fair, efficient  and effective from 30 kilometre away. Adigrat is 877 kilometre from Addis Ababa and 118 from Meke’ele.

These capacity that build by Tegaru bloods and bones started to be eroded by the creation of EPRDF then disappeared when TPLA was dissolved and integrated in to the newly created federal army. All USA states have their own national gourd, why not federalist Ethiopia.

መራሕቲ መስርዓት, መራሕቲ  ጋንታታት, መራሕቲ  ሓይሊታት, and መራሕቲ  ቦጦሎኒታት of EPRDF or Federal army never has centralized one goal that all individual members of the organizations understand or agree. No one can make a decision or policy that is excellent, fair, efficient  and effective for objectives doesn’t understand and agree. That’s the reason the Addis Ababa based elite make policies and decisions for every state, region, local administrations etc.

Tigray people fought and paid hundreds of thousands its youth life for many centuries to have the right to self determination or govern itself. The 1995 TPLF/EPRDF drafted constitution will give Tigray people opportunity to build and develop capacity in order to govern itself, prosperity, dignity, good governance, fight corruption etc.

Addis Ababa based developmental state governing manual is killing Tigray more than Megistu, Haile Selasie and Menelik II. Tigray and TPLF will be saved only if Ethiopia is governed by the constitution. To be governed by constitution first PFDJ has to be removed from power.

Every knowledge and politics is local. Tigray is blessed that the only African nation that has ancient regional and local strong identity that is not based on tribe or clan. PFDJ has ideological reason to destroying Tigrigna local identity. I don’t understand why TPLF wanted to destroy Tigray regional identity.