Academic Attitude towards the Democratic Developmental State of Ethiopia: A case Study of Bonga College of Teachers Education

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine effects associated with “system level institutional legacies” on developmental efforts to bring socio-economic transformation by assessing perceived level of demand for democracy and satisfaction with supply. Considering field experience as reflections associated with institutional memories of “hierarchy and secrecy;” the study states that an effort to accelerate socio-cultural transformation has issues those can affect its process before full transition. As matter of empirical and theoretical fact, such factors are identified as cause that conditioned sense of partisanship, self-defense and mistrust among socio-political actors. Thus by employing mixed approach as research methodology and “demand-supply” model for democracy as empirical approach, the study aimed to identify whether regressive institutional legacies or challenges internal to transitional process; affected likely level of support for democracy. For such end the study used theory of regime support used to assess support for democracy in a given socio-cultural context as theoretical framework to help guide expected link between propositions and results. The overall procedures employed to collect data , analyze and verify results reveal that; there is only 23% of demand for democracy, 30% satisfaction with its supply, least level of trust towards public institutions, its actors, more especially at local level and extreme corruption perception. More than any other factor, cultural memory of “partisan” organizational identity appears most special institutional memory; in conditioning support for democracy, satisfaction with current supply and public and private end of such support. This implies that effects of traditional institutional legacies of hierarchy and secrecy remains living memory until expected structural transformation and socio-political value change towards democracy. Thus the review recommends that the regime has yet to transform shadow of old image drawn in its new territory.