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1931 Constitution of Ethiopia

1931 · 20th century · Also known as first written constitution

The 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia was the first written constitution of the Ethiopian Empire, promulgated by Emperor Haile Selassie in 1931. It created a bicameral parliament with limited powers while confirming the emperor's supreme authority and the dynasty's claim to rule. It is generally seen as an instrument of centralisation and modernisation from above rather than a genuine limitation of imperial power.

1931 Constitution of Ethiopia
Image: Tekle Hawariat Tekle Mariyam Gedamu Woldegiorgis · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 profiles

Ethiopian EmpireGovernanceJohor SultanateGovernance

Mentioned in 1 state history

The Protectorate

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1931 Constitution of Ethiopia. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/1931-constitution-of-ethiopia
MLA
“1931 Constitution of Ethiopia.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/1931-constitution-of-ethiopia. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1931 Constitution of Ethiopia.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/1931-constitution-of-ethiopia.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1931 Constitution of Ethiopia’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/1931-constitution-of-ethiopia (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻