CHAPTER ONE#
The Political System#
Article I#
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a state of the working people founded on the alliance of workers and peasants and the participation of the intelligentsia, the revolutionary army, artisans and other democratic sections of society.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a sovereign state whose territory comprising the land, air space and territorial waters, including the islands, is indivisible and inviolable.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia shall, while accomplishing the national democratic revolution, lay the foundation for the construction of socialism.
Article 2#
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a unitary state in which all nationalities live in equality.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia shall ensure the equality of nationalities, combat chauvinism and narrow nationalism, and strengthen the unity of the working people of all nationalities.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia shall ensure the common advancement of the nationalities, by progressively eliminating the disparity in their economic development, paying particular attention to those in lower stages of development.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia shall ensure the realization of regional autonomy.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia shall ensure the equality, development and respectability of the languages of the nationalities.
Article 3#
In the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia power belongs to the working people.
The working people exercise their power through the National Shengo and local shengos which they establish by election. The authority of other organs of state shall derive from e organs of state power.
The working people exercise their power also through referendum.
Article 4#
In the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia the organization and functioning of the organs of state is based on the principle of democratic centralism.
All organs of state power, from the lowest to the highest, shall be established by election. The organs of state power shall exercise centralism. and local initiative. Decisions of higher organs shall be executed by lower organs. Lower organs are accountable to higher organs.
Article 5#
Organs of state, mass organizations, other associations, officials thereof and every individual shall observe socialist legality.
Article 6#
The Workers’ Party of Ethiopia, which is guided by Marxism-Leninism, is a vanguard party dedicated to serving the working people and protecting their interests.
The Workers’ Party of Ethiopia charts the direction for the development of the country and is the guiding force of the state and the entire society.
All Party organs shall observe the Constitution of the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Article 7#
Mass organizations are forums for the participation of the people in the country’s political, economic, social and cultural life. They shall participate in the formulation and implementation of state policy.
Article 8#
The objective of the development of the Ethiopian political system is to accelerate the process of laying the foundation for the construction of the socialist system by enhancing the participation of the working people in state and key social activities, by improving the organization and functioning of state organs, by consolidating the working people’s control, by promoting the role of mass organizations and by strengthening the legal basis of the activities of the state and society.