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For more than two thousand years, Ethiopias ox-plow agricultural system was the most efficient and innovative in Africa, but has been afflicted in the recent past by a series of crises: famine, declining productivity, and losses in biodiversity. James C. McCann analyzes the last two hundred years of agricultural history in Ethiopia to determine whether the ox-plow agricultural system has adapted to population growth, new crops, and the challenges of a modern political economy based in urban centers.This agricultural history is set in the context of the larger environmental and landscape history of Ethiopia, showing how farmers have integrated crops, tools, and labor with natural cycles of rainfall and soil fertility, as well as with the social vagaries of changing political systems. McCann traces characteristic features of Ethiopian farming, such as the single-tine scratch plow, which has retained a remarkably consistent design over two millennia, and a crop repertoire that is among the most genetically diverse in the world.People of the Plow provides detailed documentation of Ethiopian agricultural practices since the early nineteenth century by examining travel narratives, early agricultural surveys, photographs and engravings, modern farming systems research, and the testimony of farmers themselves, collected during McCann's five years of fieldwork. He then traces the ways those practices have evolved in the twentieth century in response to population growth, urban markets, and the presence of new technologies.

"Those interested in the history of one of the centers of crop origin and genetic diversity will find this book an invaluable reference."Brhane Gebrekidan, Virginia Tech

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Customer Reviews (1)

People of the Plow
Historical evidence in cave paintings shows that the Ethiopian farmer has been using oxen and long-beam plows to till the land for at least two thousand years.Author James C. McCann uses his thorough research into archival evidence and current oral history to demonstrate the persistence of these farming methods to the present time.McCann's easy writing style takes farmers' narrative tales and translates them into social science language.

McCann clearly shows how Ethiopian farmers have been moved, in this century, from self-reliance to dependence upon political whims.Farmers now rely upon the state to provide seed and fertilizer, and so are forced into growing crops from those seeds, whether the environmental conditions cooperate or not.

McCann's writing style holds the reader's interest because he includes so many first person narratives and examples to illustrate his points.More detailed maps that show locations of old and new trade and market centers would be appreciated.McCann often talks about these changes, so maps could have acted to clarify the text if he had placed them near to the specific locations under discussion.His book is meticulously researched.This book is an excellent introduction to the general interaction of government and agriculture and its specific interplay in Ethiopia. ... Read more

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This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: R. Chiswell in 1696 in 522 pages; Subjects: Ethiopia; Blacks; Missions; Dominicans; Architecture / Religious Buildings; History / Africa / General; History / Africa / Central; History / Africa / East; Religion / Christianity / Catholic; Religion / Christian Ministry / Missions; Religion / Christianity / Denominations; Social Science / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies; ... Read more

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For this fascinating examination of more than a century of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and the United States, Prof. Metaferia consulted archival and declassified documents, interviewed government officials, translated Amharic sources and, above all, employed his political science expertise in interpreting and analyzing events.

The book begins with historical references that describe how Ethiopia was viewed by ancient civilizations, then moves to an analysis of Ethiopia s relationship with European powers in the late 19th century which shaped the psyche of its leaders. Ethiopia s encirclement by potentially hostile colonial powers compelled its leaders to ally with the United States which appeared to have no colonial motives. And the US, despite its isolationist postures, saw commercial and strategic military potential in establishing links with Ethiopia.

Ethio-US relations gradually flourished, and the two countries collaborated on regional security in the Horn of Africa as well as through trade. Ethiopia supported the US during the Korean War and provided a communications base in Asmara. Given Ethiopia s location between Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda, and its long history, it continues to offer the US crucial strategic opportunities.

Yet somehow, despite longtime US contributions to Ethiopia s development, institutional, and human capacity building, Ethiopia has lagged behind in all indices of development. The book compels its readers to ponder why some countries remain marginalized and how development efforts could have maximum results.

Dr. Metaferia affirms that even friendly relations between nations can potentially fracture as long as donor countries ignore the welfare of aid recipient nations, and he calls for a new paradigm for the establishment of a stable foreign relationship in the rapidly changing power alliances of the 21st century.

Academics and the general public interested in the dynamics of relations between nations will benefit from this timely and seminal work. Although the focus of the book is on the Ethio US relations, the study and analysis has a wider ramification as it reflects the experiences of various other countries. Students of history, political science, and especially US foreign policy and African studies, development strategists, foreign policy practitioners and the general public will find the book useful as they seek to understand the current turmoil in Ethiopia and a range of other nations, as Ethiopia's experience with the United States mirrors in a microcosm the experience of many others. The book fills a gap in the libraries of graduate and undergraduate departments of African Studies, US International Relations/Foreign Policy, and Diplomatic History. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A necessary read
The author covers the history of relations between Ethiopia and the United States, he describes quite clearly the nature of the relationship between Ethiopia and United States foreign policy establishments and how this relationship has evolved over time. He examines in-depth the United States contributions under Haile Selassie. He also goes to some length to detail the United States involvement in the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia and how instrumental the United States was in the achievement of this objective.

The author looks at the importance of Ethiopia both as a bulwark against international terrorism in Africa and the Arabization of the Red Sea. It is also important in ensuring the stabilization and development of the entire Horn of Africa region.

By the end of the book you should have gained an indepth understanding of the nature of relations between Ethiopia and the United States. I would recommed this book to anyone who is looking to gain substantive knowlegde of U.S.-Ethiopian relations and U.S. relations with the Horn of Africa region. ... Read more

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Surveys the history and culture of the states of Ethiopia in northeast Africa. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

History and wit come together to make one incredible reading
I found this to be a history book unlike many others, written in as much an unbiased manner as could be, yet with the passion for Ethiopia as can only be expressed by one who is Ethiopian.The details are excellent on how Ethiopia came about to have the geographical shape we are so familiar with.From 1855 to 1974, the when's and why's of all the wars, the who's and how's of all the kings, the gains and loses of the country each step of the way, and the involvement of Ethiopia with the rest of the world is covered scrupulously.If history has never been your thing, this book will most likely change your mind!

An excellent reference for those interested in Ethiopia
An excellent book about the history of Ethiopia during 1855-1971.Prof. Zewde has brougt to light many of the more important points of Ethiopia's recent history.He does an surperb job describing the cultural as well aspolitical history of his time period.I have learned much from this book. It is an enjoyable experience to read a well written book about Ethiopiathat was written by an Ethiopian.

Detailed, accurate and excellently analyzed
This book is a MUST read for people interested in the unique and evolving history of Ethiopia.Professor Zewde has presented this book in an intellectually stimulating way yet very easy to understand.Easy smoothreading. But most impressive is the way he managed to tie each issue/eventin Ethiopian History between the dates of (1855 - 1971) together by showinghow one event led to another.It is also great reading for us - the newgeneration of Ethiopians who need to know the history of our country.Wayto Go!!! Thank You. ... Read more

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Bahru Zewde has updated the first edition, adding a new chapter and taking the history through to 1991. 'The new chapter enhances the value of the book as the best historical introduction to modern Ethiopia. The account of the Revolution, contained in 41 pages, is nuanced and worthy of attention in its own right... In short, the updating of an already indispensable book.' - Donald Crummey in JOURNAL OF MODERN AFRICAN STUDIES North America: Ohio U Press; Ethiopia: Addis Ababa U Press ... Read more

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Revolution and Genocide in Ethiopia and Cambodia is the first comparative study of the Ethiopian and Cambodian revolutions of the early 1970s. One of the few comparative studies of genocide in the Third World, this book presents the positions of traditional genocide scholars, but the book's author, Kissi, takes a different position, arguing that the Cambodian genocide and the Ethiopian genocide had very different motives. ... Read more

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The Ethiopian famine of 25 years ago was the greatest humanitarian disaster of the late 20th century, killing more than 600,000 people before the world took notice. Peter Gill was the first journalist to reach the epicenter of the famine in 1984 and he returned at the time of Live Aid to research the definitive account of the disaster, A Year in the Death of Africa.

Now, in Famine and Foreigners, Gill returns to Ethiopia to piece together the real story of the last 25 years, drawing on interviews with leading Ethiopians and with an army of foreign aid officials. He conducted extensive interviews with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the leading development economists, Joseph E. Stiglitz and Jeffrey Sachs. Most important of all, Gill has traveled throughout the country and interviewed scores of Ethiopia's dignified but still hungry farmers. What stands out in these pages are the graphic encounters with these Ethiopians--the supposed beneficiaries of western aid--who still struggle on the knife-edge of existence. What also emerges is the often tense relationship between official aid-givers and recipients--whether in the area of economic reform or the modern demands for "governance" and political change. Twenty five years on, we can say that we did feed the world.But did we change the face of poverty, did we close the gap between rich and poor, did we fulfill the promise of "development?"

A generation after Live Aid, this book questions whether any of world's big promises are being fulfilled. Have aid experts got it right? Are recipient countries allowed to pursue their own vision? Is democracy essential for banishing poverty? Now that the West faces its own economic challenges, it is time to ask whether the "development era" may be coming to an end. ... Read more

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A study of how a small state reacts to sanctions and the difficulties it encounters in applying them. The interplay of external and internal forces in Greece's implementation of such a policy during the Italian-Ethiopian crisis of 1935-1936, and especially the role of the military, is examined through hitherto unpublished archival sources. ... Read more

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When Emporer Haile Selassie led Ethiopia out of Italian occupation, he promised much - liberalisation, land reform, greater prosperity, a modern army, and a modern bureaucracy. Thirty years later, resistance, radical movements and dissent were to rock the foundation of his fragile new society into revolution. The economic history of modern Ethiopia has not attracted sufficient scholarly attention, and there has been no publication of note since Pankhurst in 1968. In recent years, Ethiopian scholars themselves have begun to undertake serious research; but there has been a lack of detail and up-to-date analysis, making it difficult to understand the nature of the immense transformations the country went through during its imperial age. Written by Ethiopians, this work fills that gap. Agriculture, industrialisation, monetary policy and demography are investigated; and topics range from drought, the radical land protests of the 1960s, industrialisation and manufacturing, to migration and the struggle for a currency. The forthcoming Volume II will cover the "people's government" period of 1974. ... Read more

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A short but comprehensive treatment of the history and religion of Ethiopia, formerly called Abyssinia, from the mysterious Queen of Sheba to the time just before Mussolini's attack. A well written, informative book. ... Read more

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This text seeks to contribute to an understanding of the problems and issues of contemporary Ethiopia by presenting an evolutionary and historical dynamics of the socio-economic formation of Ethiopia, beginning with the Axumite period and extending to the post-revolutionary era. ... Read more