Belozerskii E.M.: What is Abyssinia and What Do Italians Want from It?

Title

Chto takoe Abissiniia i chego khotiat ot nee ital’iantsy, Moskva 1887

What is Abyssinia and What Do Italians Want from It?

Keywords

Summary

The essay provides a general analysis of the Ethiopian region from the perspective of European interests. It begins with a geographic introduction to the area, followed by information about the population and their customs. Christian Ethiopians are depicted as simple people who lead uncomplicated lives, work very little, but are also brave and respectful towards their parents. Western influence is not always positive, as it, for instance, increases alcoholism among the local population. These reflections are followed by an overview of the country’s history, leading the author to conclude that Ethiopia is not yet a civilised country, and its main interest for Europeans lies elsewhere. So, what is its importance? – the author wonders. He finds that Ethiopia’s interest for the Europeans lies in its geographical position, natural resources, and religion. This alone can explain why first England and then Italy were eager to subjugate the area to their influence in one way or another. With the opening of the Suez Canal, the Red Sea has become an internationally relevant area. Ethiopia, as an independent state, is poised to play a crucial role in the political landscape of the nation that succeeds in making it an ally. Hence, the author concludes, whoever controls the country will have dominion over the Red Sea and, to some extent, hold the key to Egypt.

Bio

Evgenii Belozerskii was a Russian writer and diplomat. He graduated from Moscow University and the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages. He held various diplomatic positions first in Europe and then in Persia. The latter position led to the publication of Belozerkii’s Letters from Persia (1886), but was also the last in his diplomatic career. Belozerskii then devoted himself to literature, publishing a drama in verse, Two Mothers (1884), two collections of poems, At Dawn (1886) and From Heart and Soul (1894), as well as a collection of short stories, Truth and Fiction (1892) and the comedy To the Lonely. His daughter, Liubov’ Belozerskaia (1895-1987), was married to the author Mikhail Bulgakov. Belozerskii died in 1898 in Poland from a heart attack.

Sources

Entsiklopedicheskii slovar’ Brokgauza i Efrona, t. I, Sankt-Peterburg 1904, p. 346;

Russkie pisateli 1800-1917. Biograficheskii slovar’, t. I, Moskva 1989, p. 222-223;

I. Belozerskii, Zapiski o Liubovi Evgen’evne, in L. Belozerskaia-Bulgakova, Vospominaniia, Moskva 1989, p. 208.

M.E.