Reclaiming the Philosopher-King’s Wisdom: Reconciling Ethiopia’s Imperial, Derg, and Ethnic Federalist Actors toward a Durable Peace
Main Article Content
Abstract
Ethiopia’s political history has been shaped by the philosopher‑king ideal, a divinely sanctioned, wise ruler modelled on King David and legitimated by the Kebra Nagast and the Orthodox Church. This ideal collapsed under feudal oppression, imperial neglect during the 1973–74 Wollo famine, and the 1974 revolution. This study investigates how the ethical core of the philosopher‑king model (justice, wisdom, service) can be reclaimed to reconcile Ethiopia’s three competing political legacies: Imperial, Derg, and Ethnic Federalist. Methods: A historical‑institutional analysis integrated with peacebuilding theory was employed. Qualitative interpretation of primary sources (Kebra Nagast, constitutions, and policy documents) and secondary literature (transitional justice reports, conflict analyses) informed the framework. The imperial legacy offers national unity but rests on feudal hierarchy; the Derg’s revolutionary rupture destroyed the old order but produced terror and famine; ethnic federalism institutionalized division, culminating in the Tigray War (2020–2022) and ongoing violence. The ethical attributes of King David protective justice (Psalm 72), repentant humility (2 Samuel 12), and covenantal unification (2 Samuel 5) provide normative resources that can be extracted from theocratic monarchy and embedded in democratic institutions. Conclusion: Reconciliation requires neither imperial restoration nor revolutionary erasure, but a new social contract inspired by Davidic wisdom, applied through inclusive national dialogue, land and economic reforms, tiered transitional justice, and multiperspective education. Recommendation: Implement a truth‑healing commission that includes all three actors, soften ethnic federalism through constitutional reform, and foster a civic, non‑ethnic national identity.
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How to Cite
Goshu, B. S., & Muhammad Ridwan. (2026). Reclaiming the Philosopher-King’s Wisdom: Reconciling Ethiopia’s Imperial, Derg, and Ethnic Federalist Actors toward a Durable Peace. Polit Journal Scientific Journal of Politics, 6(3), 233-251. Retrieved from http://www.biarjournal.com/index.php/polit/article/view/1586
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References
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Gilkes, P. (1975). The dying lion: Feudalism and modernization in Ethiopia. Julian Friedmann Publishers.
Goshu, B. S. (2025), The Book of Enoch and early astronomical thought: A prelude to scientific observation, Budapest International Research in Exact Sciences (BirEx) Journal, 7 (2), 106-118
Goshu, B.S. (2025a), Mapping Ethiopia's divided society: Mathematical model explains political polarization, IKR Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (IKRJAHSS), 1(2), 67-82
Goshu, B.S. (2025b), Mitigating polarization in Ethiopia's political system: An adversarial collaboration framework, Academia Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2, 314-329
Goshu, B.S. and M. Ridwan, (2024), Bridging religion, science, and spirituality: A holistic approach to peace and understanding, Britain International of Humanities and Social Sciences (BIoHS) Journal, 6 (3), 196-213
Goshu, B.S. and M. Ridwan, (2025), The Role of Ge'ez in Shaping Ethiopian Intellectual Traditions: Contributions to Science, Medicine, Astronomy, Religion, Culture, and Mathematical Thought, Lakhomi Journal Scientific Journal of Culture, 6 (3), 186-202
Goshu, B.S., (2026c), Collapse and Continuity in the Kingdom of Aksum: Why the Stelae Fell but the Ark Endured, Polit Journal Scientific Journal of Politics, 6(1), 86-102
Hendrickx, B. (2012). Political theory and ideology in the Kebra Nagast: Old Testament Judaism, Roman-Byzantine politics and Ethiopian Orthodoxy. Journal of Early Christian History, 2(2), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/22225850.2012.11853178
IISTE. (2025). Transitional justice policy of Ethiopia and its relevance for peacebuilding. IISTE.
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Interregnum and fragmentation: Explaining persistence of weak state in Ethiopia. (2026, April 6). Addis Standard. https://addisstandard.com/
ISS Africa. (2025, April 9). Ethiopia’s Transitional Justice Special Bench more than just a criminal tribunal. https://issafrica.org
JU Repository. (2025). Amnesty in Ethiopian transition. Jimma University Repository.
Kebede, M. (2011). Ideology and elite conflicts: Autopsy of the Ethiopian revolution. Lexington Books.
Kebede, M. (2011). Ideology and elite conflicts: Autopsy of the Ethiopian revolution. Lexington Books.
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Marcus, H. G. (2002). A history of Ethiopia (Updated ed.). University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520925427
Metekia, T. S., & Gbodi, I. J. (2025, November 11). Transitional justice is key to addressing Tigray’s conflict-related sexual violence. ISS Today. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/transitional-justice-is-key-to-addressing-tigray-s-conflict-related-sexual-violence
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New Vision. (2023, March 15). Drought, conflict and famine in Africa. New Vision. https://www.newvision.co.ug/
Oakland Institute. (2025). Unheard voices: Indigenous displacement in Ethiopia. Cultural Survival.
OHCHR. (2024). Ethiopia’s transitional justice policy. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/
OuCI. (2024). Effect of forced eviction and land grabs on household economic capital security. OuCI.
Philbert, R., Mvumbilo, R., & Zakayo, T. (2023). The concept of philosopher king: A double-edged sword in political context. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8122358
Piovanelli, P. (2013). The apocryphal legitimation of a ‘Solomonic’ dynasty in the Kebrä nägäst: A reappraisal. Aethiopica: International Journal of Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies, 16, 7 44. https://doi.org/10.15460/aethiopica.16.1.698
Piovanelli, P. (2014). ‘Orthodox’ faith and political legitimization of a ‘Solomonic’ dynasty of rulers in the Ethiopic Kebra Nagast. In The Armenian apocalyptic tradition: A comparative perspective (pp. 562 582). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004270268_031
Plato. (1992). Republic (G. M. A. Grube, Trans.; C. D. C. Reeve, Rev.). Hackett. (Original work ca. 375 BCE)
Press.et. (2024, October 27). Reconciling civic nationalism and ethnocentrism needs due commitment. Press.et. https://press.et/
RFI. (2015, August 27). Lion of Judah or pro Western dictator? Haile Selassie still debated 40 years after his death. Radio France Internationale. https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20150827-ethiopia-haile-selassie-dictator-moderniser-debate
Ridwa, M. B.S. Goshu, A. Aceh, (2026), Celestial Diglossia and the Moral Clock: Ethno Linguistic Encoding of Cosmology and Social Hierarchy in Ethiopian Life Cycle Ritual Discourse, LingLit Journal Scientific Journal for Linguistics and Literature, 7(1), 35-54
Sishagne, S. (2022). Solomonid Dynasty. EBSCO Research Starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research starters/history/solomonid dynasty
SSRC. (2026, January 15). The faulty foundations of transitional justice in Ethiopia. Kujenga Amani.
SSRN. (2024, July 8). The facade of justice: Transitionless transitional justice of Ethiopia. SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/
Stanford University Libraries. (2023). Ethiopia resettles famine victims from the north to southern Ethiopia [Abstract]. SearchWorks. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/
Tadesse, M. (2025). Converging dynamics of urban land lease systems, state controlled land ownership, and neo patrimonial governance in Addis Ababa. Sciety Labs.
The Reporter Ethiopia. (2025, February 1). Policy paper sheds light on fundamental gaps in transitional justice initiative. The Reporter Ethiopia. https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/
The Reporter Ethiopia. (2025, November 8). The faultlines of a nation: Ethiopia’s ethnic federalism and the need for constitutional reform. The Reporter Ethiopia. https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/47667/
TİKA. (2025, July 9). Nejashi tomb and mosque restored after civil war damage. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency. https://tika.gov.tr/
Tiruneh, A. (1993). The Ethiopian revolution 1974 1987: A transformation from an aristocratic to a totalitarian autocracy. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511523955
Turton, D. (Ed.). (2006). Ethnic federalism: The Ethiopian experience in comparative perspective. James Currey. https://www.boydellandbrewer.com/9780852558980/ethnic-federalism/
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Verfassungsblog. (2025, February 17). A Sisyphean task? Implementing transitional justice amid continuous democratic backsliding. Verfassungsblog.
Weber, M. (1978). Economy and society: An outline of interpretive sociology (G. Roth & C. Wittich, Eds.). University of California Press. (Original work published 1922)
Wollo famine. (1972–1975). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973%E2%80%931975_Wollo_famine
Yoseph, N. (2025). Tigray Genocide Inquiry Commission blasts transitional justice process for inefficacy, partiality. The Reporter Ethiopia.
Addis Insight. (2026, February 13). Redesigning Ethiopia’s federal future: The middle path between identity and unity. Addis Insight. https://addisinsight.net/
Addis Standard. (2025, October 23). Between truth and illusion: Ethiopia’s national dialogue, search for enduring story. Addis Standard. https://addisstandard.com/
Addis Standard. (2026, February 27). Shadows over Tigray: Risks of troop buildup in northern Ethiopia, lessons of history written in blood. Addis Standard. https://addisstandard.com/shadows-over-tigray-risks-of-troop-buildup-in-northern-ethiopia-lessons-of-history-written-in-blood/
Africa-Press. (2025, August 13). Ethiopia’s National Dialogue seeks diaspora input. Africa-Press. https://www.africa-press.net/
Alemayehu, B. (2025). The political economy of communal land distribution for rural youths in Amhara region, Ethiopia. ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.106234
Andargachew Tiruneh. (1993). The Ethiopian revolution 1974–1987: A transformation from an aristocratic to a totalitarian autocracy. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511523955
Bahru Zewde. (2001). A history of modern Ethiopia, 1855–1991 (2nd ed.). Boydell & Brewer. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781782049869
Bahru Zewde. (2014). The quest for socialist utopia: The Ethiopian student movement, c. 1960 1974. James Currey. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781782049869
Benti, T. (2025). ‘Medium scale’ forestland grabbing in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. FAO AGRIS.
Bogale, W. (2017). The Bétä rist and post Italian landlord tenant relationships. Journal of Bahir Dar University, 9(2), 39 58.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. (2026, May 21). Ethiopia – Zagwe and Solomonic dynasties. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Ethiopia/The-Zagwe-and-Solomonic-dynasties
British Council. (2025). Looking ahead as the Dessie Museum reopens. Cultural Protection Fund.
Budge, E. A. W. (1932). The Kebra Nagast: The Queen of Sheba and her only son Menyelek. Oxford University Press. https://www.worldcat.org/title/3095498
Capital Ethiopia. (2026, June 1). Two years after war’s end, Ethiopia prepares to launch transitional justice process. Capital Newspaper.
Clapham, C. (1988). Transformation and continuity in revolutionary Ethiopia. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511523955
Clapham, C. (2002). The Ethiopian student movement: A historical perspective. Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 35(1), 87 106.
Clingendael. (2025). Ethiopia’s national dialogue: Can it still address the political crisis? Clingendael Institute.
Crisis Group. (2023, April 27). Ethiopia’s Ominous New War in Amhara. International Crisis Group. https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-africa/ethiopia/ethiopias-ominous-new-war-amhara
Danish Institute for Human Rights. (2026, February 10). New project launched to support a human rights compliant transitional justice process in Ethiopia. https://www.humanrights.dk
Demelash, A. (2026, June 6). The philosopher king and the making of Ethiopia. Borkena. https://borkena.com/2026/06/06/the-philosopher-king-and-the-making-of-ethiopia/
Dergue Government Land Reform Proclamation. (1975, March 4). *Proclamation No. 31/1975: A proclamation to provide for the nationalisation of rural lands*. Negarit Gazeta.
EBC. (2025, August 18). Tigray set to join National Dialogue as Commission targets reconciliation, shared accountability. Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.ebc.et/
ENA. (2025, April 9). National Security Council affirms remarkable progress in Ethiopia. Ethiopian News Agency.
ENDC. (2025, July 4). Nat’l Dialogue Commission consolidating activities aimed at ensuring inclusivity. Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission.
ENDC. (2026, June 3). Dialogue Commission creating platform for consensus, building strong state. Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission.
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. (2024, November 1). NHRI input: OHCHR report on lessons learned and good practices of transitional justice [Submission to OHCHR]. https://www.ohchr.org/
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. (1995). Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Author.
Fessha, Y. T. (2010). Ethnic diversity and federalism: Constitution making in South Africa and Ethiopia. Ashgate. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315601302
Galtung, J. (1969). Violence, peace and peace research. Journal of Peace Research, 6(3), 167–191. https://doi.org/10.1177/002234336900600301
Gebre, Y. (2025). Nation building, historiography, and school history in a multi cultural context: Ethiopia’s enigma of our time. Universiteit Leiden.
Getahun, Y. H. (2025). The transitional justice policy of Ethiopia and its relevance for peacebuilding. African Journal on Conflict Resolution, 25(1), 60–83.
Gilkes, P. (1975). The dying lion: Feudalism and modernization in Ethiopia. Julian Friedmann Publishers.
Goshu, B. S. (2025), The Book of Enoch and early astronomical thought: A prelude to scientific observation, Budapest International Research in Exact Sciences (BirEx) Journal, 7 (2), 106-118
Goshu, B.S. (2025a), Mapping Ethiopia's divided society: Mathematical model explains political polarization, IKR Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (IKRJAHSS), 1(2), 67-82
Goshu, B.S. (2025b), Mitigating polarization in Ethiopia's political system: An adversarial collaboration framework, Academia Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2, 314-329
Goshu, B.S. and M. Ridwan, (2024), Bridging religion, science, and spirituality: A holistic approach to peace and understanding, Britain International of Humanities and Social Sciences (BIoHS) Journal, 6 (3), 196-213
Goshu, B.S. and M. Ridwan, (2025), The Role of Ge'ez in Shaping Ethiopian Intellectual Traditions: Contributions to Science, Medicine, Astronomy, Religion, Culture, and Mathematical Thought, Lakhomi Journal Scientific Journal of Culture, 6 (3), 186-202
Goshu, B.S., (2026c), Collapse and Continuity in the Kingdom of Aksum: Why the Stelae Fell but the Ark Endured, Polit Journal Scientific Journal of Politics, 6(1), 86-102
Hendrickx, B. (2012). Political theory and ideology in the Kebra Nagast: Old Testament Judaism, Roman-Byzantine politics and Ethiopian Orthodoxy. Journal of Early Christian History, 2(2), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/22225850.2012.11853178
IISTE. (2025). Transitional justice policy of Ethiopia and its relevance for peacebuilding. IISTE.
Institut Montaigne. (2021, March 16). Cautious hope in Ethiopia’s Tigray war. Institut Montaigne. https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/cautious-hope-ethiopias-tigray-war
Interregnum and fragmentation: Explaining persistence of weak state in Ethiopia. (2026, April 6). Addis Standard. https://addisstandard.com/
ISS Africa. (2025, April 9). Ethiopia’s Transitional Justice Special Bench more than just a criminal tribunal. https://issafrica.org
JU Repository. (2025). Amnesty in Ethiopian transition. Jimma University Repository.
Kebede, M. (2011). Ideology and elite conflicts: Autopsy of the Ethiopian revolution. Lexington Books.
Kebede, M. (2011). Ideology and elite conflicts: Autopsy of the Ethiopian revolution. Lexington Books.
Kebra Nagast. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved 7 June 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kebra_Nagast
Land Portal. (2025, July 28). Towards tenure security and cooperation: How the GPRLP and S2RAI transform land governance in Ethiopia. https://landportal.org
Lederach, J. P. (1997). Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. United States Institute of Peace Press.
Marcus, H. G. (2002). A history of Ethiopia (Updated ed.). University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520925427
Metekia, T. S., & Gbodi, I. J. (2025, November 11). Transitional justice is key to addressing Tigray’s conflict-related sexual violence. ISS Today. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/transitional-justice-is-key-to-addressing-tigray-s-conflict-related-sexual-violence
Michael, N. K. W. (2023). Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. Rowman & Littlefield. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781978778672/Haile-Selassie-I-Emperor-of-Ethiopia
Ministry of Justice. (2024, May 10). የሽግግር ፍትሕ ፖሊሲ የዕውቅና እና የትግበራ ማስጀመሪያ መርሀ ግብር ተካሔደ [Recognition and Implementation Launching Program of the Transitional Justice Policy Held]. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Mohr, C. (1974, March 14). Rift in Ethiopian society may be deepened by famine. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/
NELGA. (2023). Policy brief: Rural and urban land governance Ethiopia. Land Portal.
New Vision. (2023, March 15). Drought, conflict and famine in Africa. New Vision. https://www.newvision.co.ug/
Oakland Institute. (2025). Unheard voices: Indigenous displacement in Ethiopia. Cultural Survival.
OHCHR. (2024). Ethiopia’s transitional justice policy. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/
OuCI. (2024). Effect of forced eviction and land grabs on household economic capital security. OuCI.
Philbert, R., Mvumbilo, R., & Zakayo, T. (2023). The concept of philosopher king: A double-edged sword in political context. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8122358
Piovanelli, P. (2013). The apocryphal legitimation of a ‘Solomonic’ dynasty in the Kebrä nägäst: A reappraisal. Aethiopica: International Journal of Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies, 16, 7 44. https://doi.org/10.15460/aethiopica.16.1.698
Piovanelli, P. (2014). ‘Orthodox’ faith and political legitimization of a ‘Solomonic’ dynasty of rulers in the Ethiopic Kebra Nagast. In The Armenian apocalyptic tradition: A comparative perspective (pp. 562 582). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004270268_031
Plato. (1992). Republic (G. M. A. Grube, Trans.; C. D. C. Reeve, Rev.). Hackett. (Original work ca. 375 BCE)
Press.et. (2024, October 27). Reconciling civic nationalism and ethnocentrism needs due commitment. Press.et. https://press.et/
RFI. (2015, August 27). Lion of Judah or pro Western dictator? Haile Selassie still debated 40 years after his death. Radio France Internationale. https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20150827-ethiopia-haile-selassie-dictator-moderniser-debate
Ridwa, M. B.S. Goshu, A. Aceh, (2026), Celestial Diglossia and the Moral Clock: Ethno Linguistic Encoding of Cosmology and Social Hierarchy in Ethiopian Life Cycle Ritual Discourse, LingLit Journal Scientific Journal for Linguistics and Literature, 7(1), 35-54
Sishagne, S. (2022). Solomonid Dynasty. EBSCO Research Starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research starters/history/solomonid dynasty
SSRC. (2026, January 15). The faulty foundations of transitional justice in Ethiopia. Kujenga Amani.
SSRN. (2024, July 8). The facade of justice: Transitionless transitional justice of Ethiopia. SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/
Stanford University Libraries. (2023). Ethiopia resettles famine victims from the north to southern Ethiopia [Abstract]. SearchWorks. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/
Tadesse, M. (2025). Converging dynamics of urban land lease systems, state controlled land ownership, and neo patrimonial governance in Addis Ababa. Sciety Labs.
The Reporter Ethiopia. (2025, February 1). Policy paper sheds light on fundamental gaps in transitional justice initiative. The Reporter Ethiopia. https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/
The Reporter Ethiopia. (2025, November 8). The faultlines of a nation: Ethiopia’s ethnic federalism and the need for constitutional reform. The Reporter Ethiopia. https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/47667/
TİKA. (2025, July 9). Nejashi tomb and mosque restored after civil war damage. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency. https://tika.gov.tr/
Tiruneh, A. (1993). The Ethiopian revolution 1974 1987: A transformation from an aristocratic to a totalitarian autocracy. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511523955
Turton, D. (Ed.). (2006). Ethnic federalism: The Ethiopian experience in comparative perspective. James Currey. https://www.boydellandbrewer.com/9780852558980/ethnic-federalism/
UNPO. (2025, August 25). Ogaden: Systemic exclusion from representation. Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.
Verfassungsblog. (2025, February 17). A Sisyphean task? Implementing transitional justice amid continuous democratic backsliding. Verfassungsblog.
Weber, M. (1978). Economy and society: An outline of interpretive sociology (G. Roth & C. Wittich, Eds.). University of California Press. (Original work published 1922)
Wollo famine. (1972–1975). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973%E2%80%931975_Wollo_famine
Yoseph, N. (2025). Tigray Genocide Inquiry Commission blasts transitional justice process for inefficacy, partiality. The Reporter Ethiopia.