Extreme Trickle Down

For the average Ethiopian, a sordid political history has left them in a
difficult situation. When the authoritarian, socialist government known
as the Derg of the 70s and 80s (which was closely aligned with the
Soviets) was taken over by the current government in the mid-90s (now
closely aligned with western heavyweights), people were happy for the
regime change.
In terms of development, the country had been monumentally stunted
throughout the socialist era, and people were under extreme political
duress. Nevertheless, the proletariat--if you will--maintained a certain
quality of life which comes with a flattened system like socialism. We
know that in America the Regan-era trickle down economy left the average
person no better off while the rich got richer. Here, under the current
political system, the government is driving growth, but leaving the
commoners behind to fend for themselves in a capitalistic system where
there is little to no foreign currency available. These days even to
those with great political might have been put in a stranglehold thanks
to the worldwide economic implosion.
Currently, there is barely a foothold for the average Ethiopian to
prevent him or herself from slipping out of poverty and into extreme
poverty. That's the difference between having barely enough to eat and
care for your family in unsanitary conditions, vulnerable to water-borne
and other disease, to scrounging for scraps in positively squalid
conditions with disease quickly closing in around you. For the nation's
poor--a huge percentage of the population--even though they are told the
country is prospering more than ever since the Derg was toppled, with no
safety net in sight, they are terrified looking at the abyss that awaits
them should things take a turn for the worse.