Developmental State of Ethiopia: Reflections on the Costs of Viewing Economic Growth as a Governance Criterion

The paper examines the achievements and losses of the Ethiopian state following the introduction of the developmental state model. In his research, the author relies mostly on secondary sources, upon a thorough analysis of which he draws the following conclusion: Even though the developmental state model has led to a remarkable economic growth and made the country one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it has also caused several detrimental effects, including eroding the value of pluralism, compromising human rights, and consolidating a single-party authoritarian rule, which spurred a rampant corruption and intensified arbitrary intervention in the citizens’ lives. The author suggests that economic growth and political transformation (democratization) should be valued equally and pursued side-by-side, which requires a genuinely patriotic, determined, and civic-minded leader.