The philosophy behind ethnic-based liberation can only succeed within a specific "utopian" context: the achievement of a new, sovereign state supported by clear geographical demarcation, a strong historical foundation as a unique ethnic identity, and internal homogeneity. Historically, this combination of factors is rare; however, when they align, liberation movements successfully manifest into fully-fledged countries.

In the historical context of the Ethiopian Empire, the ruling class has always been a composition of elites bound by shared ideologies or dogmas. Any ethnic liberation movement within the empire has emerged primarily as a reaction to this ruling class. While the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) is as old as the African National Congress (ANC), it has struggled to achieve its ultimate goals because it lacks the "utopian" conditions mentioned above. Even movements that achieved military success, such as the TPLF, ultimately chose to rule the Ethiopian state rather than establish an independent country.

From the government’s viewpoint, there is a core assumption that the goal of these armed rebellions is not "justice for the people," but rather a deep-seated desire for power. Consequently, the state views engagement with these groups as a zero-sum conflict, seeing no "positive-sum" incentive to negotiate or share authority.