Political Economy of State-Peasant Relations in Ethiopia Under Eprdf, 1991-2018: Experiences From Dawo and Sululta, Oromia National Regional State
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Date
2025-11-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Studies of state-society relations in the post-1991 period have been dominated by interactions between the new federal state structure and various ethno-national groups in the country. Some argued that the benefit of the new dispensation outweighs its negative impacts, while others held the contrary view. Thus, little scholarly attention was paid to another social group, peasantry, that was at the heart of state-society relations, crossing across ethno-national lines, even as the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) put peasants at the heart of its governance strategy. The study attempts to fill this gap by focusing on the theme of state-peasant relations under EPRDF. The study applied a critical political economy approach to investigate state-peasant relations under EPRDF regime. It applied insights from Marxist, neopopulist and modernization theories to understand the world of peasants. The research adopted a critical social science (critical political economy) approach. The study sites were Dawo Woreda, a rural area and Sululta town, a peri-urban area close to Addis Ababa, that was found Oromia regional state. Data was collected through 28 key informant interviews with experts based at Ministry of Agriculture, Dawo Woreda and Sululta town, Kebele officials, development agents and peasants, and 11 FGDs held with different segments of peasants. The study found that the relation between state and peasants under EPRDF was largely shaped by neopatrimonialism and hegemonic drive of the regime. And the relation was characterized by state domination of peasants through ownership and control over land; local government tentacles that reached and brought every rural household within the purview of the state; constant surveillance and meting out of harsh punishment on peasants that did not tip toe the state-party line. However, peasants were cognizant of their political domination and lack of economic autonomy under EPRDF in spite of the regimes rhetoric that it was the only party that represented the interest of peasants. Thus, when the opportunity presented itself, they showed themselves to be ready to oppose the regime as in 2005 national election and the Oromo protest (2014-2018) that ultimately ejected TPLF dominated EPRDF regime from power at the center.
Key Words: State, Peasants, Critical Political Economy, Neopatrimonialism, Rural Development Policy, Ethiopia, Oromo
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Keywords
State, Peasants, Critical Political Economy, Neopatrimonialism, Rural Development Policy, Ethiopia, Oromo