Haile Selassie, a Solomonic and African ruler, reined as emperor of the Ethiopian Empire from 1930-1974. Haile Selassie’s role as the only African king and his claim to be a descendant of king David through King David’s Son Solomon and the African Queen Sheba (1 Kings 10) made him the perfect candidate for idolization in a post- Marcus Garvey Jamaica. Garvey’s ideas on Back to Africa and Black Pride influenced Jamaica as a whole, but especially the Rastafarian movement (Manuel 2006: 194). Bob Marley’s “Chant Burn Down Babylon” emphasizes many of Garvey’s back to Africa ideals with powerful and enigmatic lyrics such as, “A Reggae Music, mek we chant down Babylon; / With music, mek we chant down Babylon; / This music, mek we chant down Babylon; / This music, come we chant down Babylon.” Babylon represents the power holding the Rastafari in diaspora. The Babylonians took the
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Having briefly lost power during the Italian occupation of Abyssinia, he wanted to stay in power and never relinquish it again. To do this he needed military might that was sufficient enough to put down rebellion at home and to defend Ethiopia against outside aggression. Economic development would also help to keep him on the throne- enough to satisfy progressives who clamored for change but not too much to antagonize feudal lords and the Ethiopian Church, who preferred status quo. Further, Haile Selassie was intent on maintaining his nation’s sovereignty and the boundaries of greater Ethiopia that he and his imperial predecessors worked hard to establish. He was obsessed with collective security, thought the United Nations the best perpetrator of the idea, demanded an end to colonialism, especially in Africa, and promoted Pan-Africanism and African unity. The stone-faced ruler sought to project his image as an elder statesman and a leader of Africa whose moderating voice would be heard and respected throughout the continent” (Vestal 2011:
Having briefly lost power during the Italian occupation of Abyssinia, he wanted to stay in power and never relinquish it again. To do this he needed military might that was sufficient enough to put down rebellion at home and to defend Ethiopia against outside aggression. Economic development would also help to keep him on the throne- enough to satisfy progressives who clamored for change but not too much to antagonize feudal lords and the Ethiopian Church, who preferred status quo. Further, Haile Selassie was intent on maintaining his nation’s sovereignty and the boundaries of greater Ethiopia that he and his imperial predecessors worked hard to establish. He was obsessed with collective security, thought the United Nations the best perpetrator of the idea, demanded an end to colonialism, especially in Africa, and promoted Pan-Africanism and African unity. The stone-faced ruler sought to project his image as an elder statesman and a leader of Africa whose moderating voice would be heard and respected throughout the continent” (Vestal 2011: