Tom Lavers on Ethiopia's Developmental State

Charter Cities Podcast

Ethiopia's Developmental State model has garnered attention for its ambitious goals and efforts to transform the economy, but has it been successful? Joining us today is Tom Lavers, Senior lecturer in Politics and Development at The University of Manchester, to help navigate this complex topic. Tom is a dedicated researcher whose passion lies in exploring the intricate interplay between social and political dynamics amid structural shifts. His research is characterized by a nuanced investigation into the changing socio-political landscapes and the evolving relationships between states and societies. In our conversation, we delve into Ethiopia's political coalition shifts and explore the government's achievements and setbacks in fostering development. We discuss Ethiopia’s complex historical roots, how statehood has significantly shaped Ethiopia's development trajectory, the distributive crisis in Ethiopia, and the factors contributing to Ethiopia's current challenges. Gain valuable insights into the country’s industrial landscape, developmental strategies, geographical equity hurdles, urbanization shifts, and much more. Tune in for a comprehensive exploration of Ethiopia's developmental journey with expert Tom Lavers!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The definition of a developmental state and typical examples.
• Learn what a distributive crisis is and how it applies to Ethiopia.
• An overview of the successes and failures of Ethiopia’s government.
• Top-down versus bottom-up factors contributing to Ethiopia’s crisis.
• How centuries of statehood shaped Ethiopia’s developmental drive.
• Explore the evolution of Ethiopia’s land and agricultural sector.
• Ethiopia's equity and ethnically inclusive developmental strategies.
• Valuable insights into Ethiopia’s industrial landscape.
• Urbanization, industrialization, and the complex interplay with politics.
• Emerging trends and dynamics of urbanization in Ethiopia.
• Tom shares details about his next upcoming project.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Tom Lavers on LinkedIn

The University of Manchester

The Global Development Institute (GDI)

Ethiopia's Developmental State: Political Order and Distributive Crisis

Seeing like a State

The NYU Marron Institute

Charter Cities Institute

Charter Cities Institute on Facebook

Charter Cities Institute on X