Omar Bennett
The first modern written constitution in Ethiopia's history was the 1931 Constitution, which established a bicameral parliament called the Deliberative Chambers. The constitution was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan and was intended to officially replace the Fetha Nagast, which had been the supreme law since the Middle Ages. The 1931 Constitution was promulgated in an impressive ceremony held on July 16, 1931, in the presence of Emperor Haile Selassie, who had long desired a constitution for his country. The principal author of the constitution was Tekle Hawariat, an Ethiopian intellectual.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1931 |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Type | Modern written constitution |
| Author | Tekle Hawariat |
| Goal | Consolidation and centralization of the Emperor's power |
| Government | Absolute monarchy |
| Parliament | Bicameral, called the Deliberative Chambers |
| Emperor | Haile Selassie I |
| Dynasty | Descendant of King Sahle Selassie, whose line descends without interruption from the dynasty of Menelik I |
| Number of Chapters | 7 |
| Number of Articles | 55 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia
The constitution outlined the powers and prerogatives of the Emperor, granting them authority over the central and local government, the legislature, the judiciary, and the military. It asserted the Emperor's status, declaring their person sacred and their power indisputable. The constitution also addressed the rights recognised by the Emperor as belonging to the nation and the duties incumbent on the nation's subjects.
Additionally, the 1931 Constitution established the Ethiopian judicial system, including the creation of Special Courts under Article 54, in accordance with the Klobukowski agreement of 1906. This agreement granted foreigners extraterritoriality in Ethiopia, exempting them from the country's laws and justice system. The constitution also included provisions for the budget of the Imperial Government, requiring the Government Treasury to set an annual budget and outline government spending.
The principal author of the 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia was Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam, an Ethiopian intellectual who was appointed by Emperor Haile Selassie to a commission tasked with drafting the document. Other prominent members of this commission included Gedamu Woldegiorgis, Gaston Jèze, and Johannes Kolmodin.
Great Awakening's Influence on the US Constitution
You may want to see also
Haile Selassie's role
Haile Selassie, born Tafari Makonnen, was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He is considered a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history and is revered as a divine figure in the Rastafari religion.
Selassie played a crucial role in the creation and enactment of the first written Ethiopian constitution in 1931. This constitution centralised governmental power under his leadership and provided for a bicameral legislature. While it kept power in the hands of the nobility, it also established democratic standards and envisioned a transition to democratic rule. The constitution limited imperial succession to Selassie's descendants and asserted his status as sacred and inviolable.
Selassie's motivation for implementing the constitution was driven by his desire to modernise Ethiopia and consolidate his authority. He believed that a stronger central government was necessary to carry out his modernisation plans for the nation's bureaucracy, military, and economy. To achieve this, he appointed a commission to draft the constitution, which included prominent Ethiopian intellectuals such as Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam and Gedamu Woldegiorgis. The constitution was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan, which served as a model for adopting Western advancements within a non-Western cultural context.
In addition to his role in establishing the constitution, Selassie is also known for his contributions to education, founding Addis Ababa University. He was a prominent anti-colonial leader and played a pivotal role in establishing the Organisation of African Unity, which later became the African Union. Selassie's legacy remains debated, but he is recognised as one of the most important figures in political history, known for his efforts to unify and modernise Ethiopia.
The US Constitution: Who Was the First Signatory?
You may want to see also
Tekle Hawariat's authorship
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia was the country's first modern written constitution. It established a bicameral parliament called the Deliberative Chambers. The principal author of this constitution was Tekle Hawariat, an Ethiopian intellectual. Hawariat's authorship is notable, as the constitution was not intended to establish democratic institutions; rather, it aimed to consolidate and centralise the Emperor's power by limiting regional leaders.
Hawariat's constitution was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan, which served as a model for Ethiopians due to Japan's successful adoption of Western learning and technology within a non-Western cultural framework. The Ethiopian constitution, however, was a simpler document, with 55 articles arranged in seven chapters. It asserted the Emperor's status, reserving imperial succession for the line of Haile Selassie and declaring the Emperor's person sacred and his power indisputable.
The constitution's two main goals were to centralise power in the Emperor and to modernise Ethiopia's image. While it established a parliament and a collective executive branch, these bodies had little power and served to rubber-stamp the Emperor's decisions. The constitution's true innovation was in providing a legal basis for replacing traditional provincial rulers with appointees loyal to the Emperor.
In an assembly, Tekle Hawariat addressed the leading members of both official and popular groups to educate them on constitutional theory. The constitution was promulgated in an impressive ceremony held on 16 July 1931, in the presence of Emperor Haile Selassie, who had long desired a constitution for his country.
The Evolution of India's Constitution: Two Distinct Versions
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The constitution's goals
The first modern constitution of Ethiopia was written in 1931 under Emperor Haile Selassie, who had long desired to proclaim a constitution for his country. The constitution was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan, which was considered a model for its successful adoption of Western learning and technology within a non-Western cultural framework.
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia had several goals and significant implications for the country. Here is an overview of the constitution's key goals and impact:
- Replacement of the Fetha Nagast: The 1931 Constitution aimed to replace the Fetha Nagast, which had been the supreme law in Ethiopia since the Middle Ages. This move marked a significant shift toward modernizing and codifying the country's legal system.
- Centralization of Power: The constitution centralized power in the hands of Emperor Haile Selassie and his descendants. It asserted the emperor's status, declaring that "the person of the Emperor is sacred, his dignity inviolable, and his power indisputable." The document vested all power over the central and local government, the legislature, the judiciary, and the military in the emperor.
- Imperial Succession: The constitution reserved imperial succession to the line of Haile Selassie, claiming him to be a descendant of King Sahle Selassie, who traced his lineage back to the dynasty of Menelik I, son of King Solomon of Jerusalem and the Queen of Sheba.
- Legal Basis for Appointments: It provided a legal basis for replacing traditional provincial rulers with appointees loyal to the emperor, solidifying the emperor's authority and control over the country's administration.
- Judicial System: The constitution established a judicial system with Special Courts, as required by the Klobukowski agreement of 1906, which addressed issues of extraterritoriality for foreigners in Ethiopia.
- Budget and Governance: It included provisions for the government treasury to set an annual budget and directed how the government would spend its money. This aspect of the constitution aimed to bring more transparency and accountability to the country's financial management.
- Stimulating Nationalism and Unity: Emperor Haile Selassie hoped that the constitution and the establishment of parliament would stimulate nationalism and unity throughout the country. He wanted the members of parliament to popularize sociopolitical change in the provinces, fostering a sense of shared national identity.
- Constitutionalization of Imperial Institutions: By adopting this constitution, Ethiopia, as one of the last absolute monarchies, took the first steps toward constitutionalizing its imperial institutions. While the emperor's authority remained central, the constitution also allowed for some initial forms of limitation on that power, marking a gradual move toward a more structured form of governance.
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia played a pivotal role in shaping the country's legal and political landscape, and its impact extended beyond the specific goals outlined above. It set a precedent for future constitutional developments in Ethiopia, including the 1994 Constitution, which established a federal and democratic state structure and further emphasized the rights of ethnic groups and their self-determination.
First-Time Voter in PA: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
The Derg's communist constitution
The first Ethiopian constitution was established in 1931 under Emperor Haile Selassie. This constitution was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan and asserted the Emperor's status as sacred and inviolable.
The Derg was a Marxist-Leninist military junta that seized power in Ethiopia in 1974, deposing Emperor Haile Selassie. The Derg's ideology was influenced by Marxist theory and its main slogan was "Ethiopia First", "Land to the Peasants", and "Democracy and Equality for All".
In March 1975, the Derg announced a radical program of land reform, nationalizing all rural land and abolishing land tenure. The Derg government aimed to put power in the hands of the peasants, allowing them to redistribute land among themselves or engage in collective forms of land cultivation. The Derg also nationalized most industries, banks, insurance firms, and major companies.
The Derg's foreign policy was characterized by a strong commitment to the Soviet Union, which was considered Ethiopia's "natural ally". However, with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, the Derg lost support from the Soviet Union and other socialist bloc countries.
In 1987, Mengistu Haile Mariam, the leader of the Derg, formally dissolved the Derg and established the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (PDRE) under a new constitution. This marked the end of the Derg's communist rule and the beginning of a civilian regime. Many former Derg members remained in key government posts, serving as members of the Central Committee and the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE).
Mengistu's rule was marked by violence and oppression, particularly during the period known as the Red Terror, when thousands of Ethiopia's young, educated people were killed or exiled. In 1990, Mengistu's government abandoned socialism and renamed its ruling party the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP).
Despite the end of the Derg's communist rule, opposition to their regime continued, leading to the Ethiopian Civil War. Mengistu was eventually convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in absentia by an Ethiopian court.
The Evolution of Venezuela's First Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The first modern written constitution of Ethiopia was the 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia. It was written by a commission appointed by Emperor Haile Selassie. The leading members of the commission included the Europeans Gaston Jèze and Johannes Kolmodin, and Ethiopian intellectuals Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam and Gedamu Woldegiorgis.
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia was based on the Meiji Constitution of Imperial Japan. Educated Ethiopians at the time considered Japan a model for its successful adoption of Western learning and technology while preserving a non-Western culture.
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia had two main goals: consolidating and centralising the Emperor's power by limiting regional leaders, and modernising by portraying Ethiopia as a modern state.
The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia established a bicameral parliament called the Deliberative Chambers.
No, the 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia strengthened centralisation under the Emperor more than it established democratic institutions. The parliament was largely powerless and served as a rubber stamp for the absolute monarch, Emperor Haile Selassie I.
