Study On Haile Sellassie I’s Diplomatic Ideals

Haile Sellassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia, was known by the world for his outstanding diplomacy and the Geneva lecture in1936. Ethiopia was the last independent African country in late19th and early20th centuries. It was surrounded by British, French and Italian colonies. All these powers stared at Ethiopia covetously. This dangerous condition made Haile Sellassie realized the urgency of reform and modernization. His early education and experiences formed the base of his diplomatic thoughts, which sought to cooperate with the great powers to promote the country’s development, meanwhile resisted their negative influence to the country’s independence. Haile Sellassie sought to survive the whole reign throughout the difficult situation.According to his policy changes, the author researched and analyzed the emperor’s diplomatic policies from1916to1974and divided the emperor’s diplomatic ideas into three phases. The first phrase is from1916when he became the Ethiopian regent to1940when he back to the country. There are three main features of his diplomatic ideals:based on the country’s modernization’s multiple diplomacy, cooperating with great powers but guarding against their reasonless intentions and maintaining Ethiopia’s independence by relying on the League of Nations.The second phrase is from1941when Haile Sellassie returned to his capital, Addis Ababa, to the end of1960, the December event occurred. There are several features in this stage. One is that he sought assistance from Britain but tried to shake off its control. Another is he made Ethiopian allied with the United States for amount of economic, military and other aid. In addition to these, Haile Sellassie took a balanced policy between the West and the East during the cold war.The third phrase is from1961to1974when Haile Sellassie’s regime was overthrown. At the end of1960, a coup occurred and tried to dethrone the emperor, the rebels who are reformers, planned to build a democratic government. Unfortunately, the coup miscarried because the revolutionary forces were not strong enough and the revolutionary condition was immature. This event largely affected Haile Sellassie’s ideals, since then all of his policies tended to conservation, especially in the diplomacy aspect. In this stage his foreign policies have three main features:continuing close relationship with the United State but sought assistance from other countries, facing the challenge from Somali he took an isolationist policy and depended on more American military assistance. He defined Ethiopia as a Third World’s country, given his great support to the native liberation movement and developed Ethiopia’s relationship with other developing countries.This paper researched Haile Sellassie’s major contents, characteristic, and the reasons for policy change. Developing energetic diplomacy and seeking international support is one of the major characteristic and basic point of departure of Haile Sellassie’s diplomatic policies. On one hand, Haile Sellassie actively sought assistance from other countries, especially western power such as Britain and America. On the other hand, he tried to limit politic influence in educational, economic and military field. Generally speaking, Haile Sellassie made a great contribution to Ethiopia’s development and modernization, the feudalism and autocracy; however, his regime seriously impeded Ethiopia’s demnrrrati7zatinn and finallv led to his downfall...