As other nations endured Western European presence for centuries, Ethiopia is the only African country that was not colonized. However, some “scholars” disagree and point out that Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia between 1936 and 1941 amounted to colonization. Non-scholars point out that most nations on Earth were occupied at one time or another, and that, for example, France was occupied by Germany, not colonized. There’s a difference. To colonize is to develop, not occupy existing buildings.

Others will state that colonization took place in Liberia because Americans were in charge for 26 years, which is a mindless quest for excuses. Liberia was founded by White Americans in 1821 as a new nation for free slaves and became independent in 1847. However, someone had to run the show due to the lack of self-governance skills as proven by the subsequent 172 years.

There are pros and cons to everything humans do, and Western Civilization is now paying the social and economic price for the actions of its colonizing ancestors. The focus here is on the premise that if only Europeans had never landed on the African continent, Africans would have excelled. Well, let’s gather the facts about Ethiopia because it was virtually untouched by the habitual suspects.

According to the CIA’s World Factbook, Ethiopia is the “oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world — at least 2,000 years”. Here’s an overview:

Ethiopia – the second most populous country in Africa – is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, GDP grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually – one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia’s population is still employed in the agricultural sector, but services have surpassed agriculture as the principal source of GDP.

Ethiopia has the lowest level of income-inequality in Africa and one of the lowest in the world, with a Gini coefficient comparable to that of the Scandinavian countries. Yet despite progress toward eliminating extreme poverty, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, due both to rapid population growth and a low starting base. Changes in rainfall associated with world-wide weather patterns resulted in the worst drought in 30 years in 2015-16, creating food insecurity for millions of Ethiopians.

The state is heavily engaged in the economy. Ongoing infrastructure projects include power production and distribution, roads, rails, airports and industrial parks. Key sectors are state-owned, including telecommunications, banking and insurance, and power distribution. Under Ethiopia’s constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to tenants. Title rights in urban areas, particularly Addis Ababa, are poorly regulated, and subject to corruption.

The parallel drawn between Ethiopia and Scandinavian countries is simply fascinating, considering that Ethiopia’s literacy rate is only 51.8%. Ethiopian Purchase Power Parity (PPP) adjusted GDP per capita is a mere $2,200, or more like $700 without the nonsensical PPP. Finland’s PPP adjusted GDP per capita is the lowest of the Nordic European countries at $44,958. Finland was hardly free for most of its existence, having been part of the Swedish empire for centuries, and occupied by Russia multiple times.

Meanwhile, U.S. Foreign Aid to Ethiopia increased from $192 million annually in 2001 to over $1 billion in 2016, for a total of about $13 billion during the last 19 years — and counting. Finland received less than $100,000 during the same period. In short, we have a free and obviously able country funneling tons of money to another free and allegedly able country, endlessly.

Ethiopia’s nominal GDP grew from $8 billion in 2001 to $80 billion in 2017, potentially validating the aid received, some will say while ignoring the obvious. Finland almost doubled its GDP from $130 billion to $251 billion during that time with only 1/20 of the population — 5.5 million Finns vs. 114.9 million Ethiopians — and adding enlightenment to the issue.

Therefore we must ask: What were Ethiopians accomplishing for 2,000 years before Western Civilization and the evil colonizers showed up with their charitable wallets and intellectual property? And why is it important to highlight these facts, and to ask probing questions with obvious and unavoidable answers? Because the overused practice of using Western Civilization as the scapegoat for the socio-techno-economic shortcomings of permanently underdeveloped nations must end. Constantly pretending that all men are created equal and that an unexplored indigenous ability to succeed will emerge, as the outputs continue to reiterate that the claim is demonstrably false, must be exposed.

Make no mistake about it: It’s always about the people, it’s largely unsolvable, and you’re paying for it. It’s about truth, not hate, and in 50 years it will feel like Déjà vu because society is ignoring the symptoms.

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