Law and Development from Theory to Practice

Abstract

The nexus between law and development remained varied, elusive, complex, and non-linear. This paper has three purposes; first, it introduces the historical development of ‘law and development’ in academic circles. Moreover, it engages with the scholarly debate on the nexus between law and development. Furthermore, it discusses the relevance of the state in bridging law and development praxis. This paper analyzes Ethiopia’s law and development praxis from the Haile Selassie regime up to incumbent Prime Minister Abiy's Administration. This paper concludes that all Ethiopian regimes had inherited fragile states, and all assumed political power not through the ballot box but through guns or revolutions. Either way, the route to a throne has been violent. It concludes that underdevelopment and state legitimacy have remained unresolved issues further complicating law and development in Ethiopia.