ABSTRACT
At least five different parliaments were inaugurated in Ethiopia from 1931 to 1991; each with different marked traits, constitutions and election processes. The parliament during the first half of the Imperial period was proof of modernity to the outside world and a place of dignified retirement for nobles and lords the emperor no longer wanted in position. The retirees quickly became an important part of politics, resonating with the emperor’s positions in areas of common interest yet resisting progressive proclamations, especially in the areas of land and taxation. On the other hand, educated young Ethiopians joined the parliament and even more members of the general public showed interest to stand for their symbolically and descriptively ‘unrepresented’ communities. The evolution of Ethiopia’s position on Eritrea and land administration, both of which are core issues that led to the socialist revolution, determined not only the state-society relations but also the emperor’s relation with the parliament.
