Government of the Derg

Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia (1974–1987)
People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1987–1991)
Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party provisional government under a totalitarian military junta (1974–1987); Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic (1987–1991)
	Emblem of the Provisional Military Administrative Council (Derg)
Formation	12 September 1974
Extinction	28 May 1991
Country	Ethiopia; Eritrea;
Legislative branch
Legislature	None (ruled by decree) (1974–1987); National Shengo (1987–1991);
Meeting place	National Palace, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Executive branch
Chairman	Aman Andom (1974); Tafari Benti (1974–1977); Mengistu Haile Mariam (1974; 1977–1991);
Monarch (designated)	Amha Selassie (1974–1975)
Prime Minister	Fikre Selassie Wogderess (1987–1989)

The government of the Derg was Unitary and Marxist–Leninist with communist, and later socialist, ideology. Translated literally, the Derg means "the Committee". Opposing the feudal system of Ethiopia, the Derg abolished land tenure in March 1975 and began widespread land reform under the Land Reform Proclamation. All means of production were nationalized by the regime, including housing, land, farms and industry.

The Ethiopian socialism they employed allowed peasants to freely distribute their land and form peasant associations. In 1984, the Derg formed the Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE), headed by Mengistu Haile Mariam, and formalized the establishment of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in 1986.

The Derg aligned with the Eastern bloc (The Soviet Union, Cuba, and Eastern European states) and considered the Soviet Union considered a "natural ally to Ethiopia". However, the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989 contributed to the decline of socialism and the Derg lost their connection with the Soviet Union. By March 1990, the popularity of socialism declined enough that the Derg renamed its ruling party to the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), and opened membership to non-Marxists.