In September 1974, the longstanding rule of Emperor Haile Selassie came to an abrupt halt when he was deposed by the Derg, a group of military officers who had been gaining power amid growing unrest in the country. Selassie, increasingly considered out of touch with the suffering of ordinary Ethiopians facing famine and economic hardship, could no longer maintain control over the political landscape. The Derg’s coup was characterized by swift military action and a declaration that the emperor had been deposed due to his failure to address these pressing issues.

The Derg announced the formation of a Provisional Military Government. Its members sought to implement radical reforms, particularly in land and agrarian policies, responding to the urgency of widespread discontent fueled by poverty and inequality. The coup was also reflective of a broader wave of revolutionary movements across African nations during the period, where many sought to overthrow colonial and imperial legacies. After his deposition, Selassie was initially placed under house arrest, and he was later reported to have died in custody under mysterious circumstances, though the exact details of his death remain uncertain.

The aftermath of the Derg’s come to power saw Ethiopia plunged into a decade-long period of civil unrest and conflict. The Derg, under Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, implemented drastic socialist reforms which included the nationalization of land and banking, but these measures led to further divisions and violence. The period of the Derg was marked by large-scale purges and widespread human rights abuses, as the military government sought to suppress any opposition to its rule. The Ethiopian Civil War continued well into the 1990s, fundamentally altering the country's political and social fabric.