I was recently reading a book about the TPLF (Ethiopian opposition front)

[TheAnswer]

...And as much as I don't like Ethiopia, I could not but help but admire how superior they are to us when it comes to political culture (note I said "political culture," I don't need a bunch of weirdos rushing in here screaming about raw meat)...

Here's two things I learned:

-The opposition fronts (particularly TPLF) selected the smartest persons to lead them. They valued book smarts, and had deep a reverence for intellectuals. That's how Meles Zenawi, who was a short, sickly young man from an unremarkable family background was made part of the TPLF's leadership. Think whatever you want about Meles, but no one can deny the man was brilliant.

-During the height of the fighting in 1991, the TPLF worked very hard to not unnecessarily disrupt national life. Thus when national exams were taking place, they STOPPED FIGHTING so children could take their tests undisturbed. This connects back to my point about their reverence for learning.


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I can't imagine any Somali rebel group behaving like the TPLF.
Somalis don't value intellectuals, they value clannish loud mouths.
Somalis don't care about disrupting national life, they can about tribal tit for tats.
And that's why Ethiopia had a certain experience with 1991 (peaceful gov change) and why Somalia had another one (catastrophic societal meltdown).

 

[Menelik III]

...And as much as I don't like Ethiopia, I could not but help but admire how superior they are to us when it comes to political culture (note I said "political culture," I don't need a bunch of weirdos rushing in here screaming about raw meat)...

Here's two things I learned:

-The opposition fronts (particularly TPLF) selected the smartest persons to lead them. They valued book smarts, and had deep a reverence for intellectuals. That's how Meles Zenawi, who was a short, sickly young man from an unremarkable family background was made part of the TPLF's leadership. Think whatever you want about Meles, but no one can deny the man was brilliant.

-During the height of the fighting in 1991, the TPLF worked very hard to not unnecessarily disrupt national life. Thus when national exams were taking place, they STOPPED FIGHTING so children could take their tests undisturbed. This connects back to my point about their reverence for learning.


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I can't imagine any Somali rebel group behaving like the TPLF.
Somalis don't value intellectuals, they value clannish loud mouths.
Somalis don't care about disrupting national life, they can about tribal tit for tats.
And that's why Ethiopia had a certain experience with 1991 (peaceful gov change) and why Somalia had another one (catastrophic societal meltdown).

The tplf hierarchy was not unique to Ethiopian rebel groups. The one who had the most influence and backing ascended to the top. It's very cut throat, meaning rivals would be exiled or killed. This is why the government is so repressive, because that's how they've lasted. I'm not sure if what you said about the exams is true though. Either way Meles was indeed a skilled politician.

 

[TheAnswer]

The tplf hierarchy was not unique to Ethiopian rebel groups. The one who had the most influence and backing ascended to the top. It's very cut throat, meaning rivals would be exiled or killed. This is why the government is so repressive, because that's how they've lasted. I'm not sure if what you said about the exams is true though. Either way Meles was indeed a skilled politician.

I smell an Amhara

 

[Menelik III]

I smell an Amhara

Because I'm not pro tplf?

 

[ሕጊ።።]

@IslamIsTheAnswer What book is this?

 

[TheAnswer]

Because I'm not pro tplf?

I'm onto you, Amhara boy.

 

[ሕጊ።።]

I'm onto you, Amhara boy.

He is either a very strange Amhara or a Somali troll

 

[TheAnswer]

@IslamIsTheAnswer What book is this?

Peasant Revolution in Ethiopia: The Tigray People's Liberation Front

 

[Menelik III]

This sounds like a lure post anyways ✌

 

[Ras]

For such a large diverse country the TPLF is doing a decent job in keeping everything stable.

Sure service delivery is shit and don't expect any social mobility opportunities there but at least you don't have tribal warfare every week... (apart from the Somali region).

However the biggest mistake they are guilty of is adopting the policy of the previous regime to continue to suppress Somalia.

That will come back to bite them when we have a functioning government and a reason to deal them with the same medicine.

All their work in the past 15 years would've been for nothing once ethnic tensions flare up.