Another key scene showing the novel's populist dimension is in Chapter 5 (p. 32-36), where Mickey describes the famine in Wello in vivid detail. He writes about starving farmers who worked tirelessly on land they did not own, only to have their crops taken by landowners. The Derg seizes on this injustice, framing the monarchy and feudal system as the root of all suffering. Mickey notes how the Derg's rhetoric portrays them as saviors of the poor, claiming they will redistribute land and power to "the people."
This rhetoric taps into deep anger and despair, uniting rural and urban Ethiopians in shared outrage against the emperor. Mickey’s observations highlight how the Derg uses the famine to stoke populist sentiment, contrasting their promises of reform with the monarchy's indifference. The emotional power of this framing strengthens the Derg's appeal, even as their methods grow increasingly violent.