Amanda Kay McVety
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199796915
- eISBN:
- 9780199933266
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199796915.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century, World Modern History
Point Four projects began in Ethiopia in May of 1952 and continued until the creation of USAID. Joint funds created agricultural schools, public health training centers, and a handicraft school. ...
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Point Four projects began in Ethiopia in May of 1952 and continued until the creation of USAID. Joint funds created agricultural schools, public health training centers, and a handicraft school. Additional projects addressed pest control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power. Projects generally focused on rural development, despite the Imperial Ethiopian Government’s emphasis upon industrialization. Point Four was smaller in scope and vision than Haile Selassie liked, but it was better than nothing, so he praised the assistance that he got and pushed for more. Though ostensibly dedicated to the pursuit of democracy, U.S. aid projects ended up reinforcing the imperial government’s power by helping fund its very public development efforts. The Ethiopian peoples’ frustration with the lack of political change became visible in a 1960 coup attempt.Less
Point Four projects began in Ethiopia in May of 1952 and continued until the creation of USAID. Joint funds created agricultural schools, public health training centers, and a handicraft school. Additional projects addressed pest control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power. Projects generally focused on rural development, despite the Imperial Ethiopian Government’s emphasis upon industrialization. Point Four was smaller in scope and vision than Haile Selassie liked, but it was better than nothing, so he praised the assistance that he got and pushed for more. Though ostensibly dedicated to the pursuit of democracy, U.S. aid projects ended up reinforcing the imperial government’s power by helping fund its very public development efforts. The Ethiopian peoples’ frustration with the lack of political change became visible in a 1960 coup attempt.
