A SOCIO-ECONOMIC HISTORY OF ELU WOREDA, SOUTH WEST SHEWA ZONE (1974 1991)

Abstract In the Ethiopian Histrography, conducting a research studies on local history is a recent phenomenon. There are several books, articles, journals and research studies conducted on the history of Ethiopia in general and the history of shewa province in particular. However, the history of the local people, their relation to the natural environment and their socio-economic developments was not assessed well and least explored in the Ethiopian histrography. Most historical works of scolars had given more attention and concentration to the history of the country where written and documented historical resource is available and incontrast, the parts of the country with little or no historical sources are not well explored. There for, the local histories of the particular societies are one of the least explored and studied as a major theme in Ethiopian histrography. There for, these research study attempts to investigate the the socio-economic history of the communities in Elu woreda which is found in south west shewa administrative zone from the fall of the imperil regime of Emperor Haile Selassie up to the coming in to power of the Ethiopian people’s revolutionary democratic government in1991 AD. It also analyses the significant changes came on the socio-economic structures, land owning patterns of the peole of the district and the major problems in the process of land distribution as well as the reactions of the land lords and privileged groups of the society as a result of the reforms made by the revolutionary government which came in to power in 1974 AD. The research study also tries to assess the major economic activities which are practiced in the district and tries to assess the major problems to the agricultural activities, challenges to their economic activities and their reactions to the natural factors and environmental challenges occurred in the district in different times.The study also attemps to investigate the socio cultural interactions and co-existence of the community with their neighboring districts and kebelles in differen ttimes.