The Ethiopian No-Party State: A Note on the Functions of Political Parties in Developing States
- 1 December 1964
- journal article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in American Political Science Review
- Vol. 58 (4) , 947-950
- https://doi.org/10.2307/1953292
Abstract
The emergence of political parties performing important functions in the political system has characterized the recent history of much of the African continent. The new party systems have taken various forms, including single parties with a narrow ruling elite, as in Liberia, or with mass support, as in Guinea; two-party systems where one mass party is dominant, as is the case in Kenya; and multi-party systems, as in Nigeria and Somalia. In two states, Libya and Sudan, once-flourishing political parties have been banned. Only in Ethiopia (Etritrea excluded) have there never been political parties. The Empire of the Conquering Lion of Judah can well be termed a no-party state. In Ethiopia today no organization exists that would or could describe itself as a political party.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Nationalism in Colonial AfricaInternational Affairs, 1957