Lord, Zega and Peasant

A Study of Property and Agrarian Relations in Rural Eastern Gojjam

The study of Ethiopian history is relatively advanced, however there remain some gaps, notably in the field of social history and the study of ordinary citizens. In taking the peasantry and landless, impoverished class of people called the zèga in Eastern Gojjam as a focus of study, this work tackles a topic of Ethiopia's social history.

The history of the group in question is discussed in terms of their relationship with other social classes in the period from the eighteenth century until the emergence of modern Ethiopia. The text provides insights into the nature of the rural society and issues of land rights and ownership in Eastern Gojjan, shedding historical light on how best to encourage efficient rural development, break with a history of economic stagnation and underdevelopment, and entrench food security in the present age.

Categories: