Poverty Trap in a Tributary Mode of Production: The Peasant Economy of Ethiopia

摘要: The paradox of EthiopiaOs agrarian economy is that, despite underwriting a world civilization, the transition to an industrial has eluded it. Using model AfroAsiatic tributarism, we attribute this outcome endemic extractive contests between predominantly landed peasantry and titled, prebendary overlord class. latterOs strategy political accumulation inevitably engendered immiserization peasant alike by privileging diversion over production. surplus was then dissipated on unproductive consumption, national defence, internecine strife. Lacking strong state mitigate predation instability, Ethiopian rationally OchoseO be efficiently, albeit self-sufficiently, poor.