The abolition of slavery became a high priority for the Haile Selassie regime which began in 1930. His policy was to announce abolition while gradually implementing it to avoid disrupting the rural economy. The main international pressure was mobilized by Great Britain, working through the League of Nations, which required it for membership. Under the pretense of abolishing slavery (and a border incident), Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935. Italy ignored international condemnation and demands by the League of Nations to depart. During Italian rule, the occupation government issued two laws in October 1935 and in April 1936 which abolished slavery and, freed 420,000 Ethiopian slaves. After the Italians were expelled, Emperor Haile Selassie returned to power and quickly abolished the actual practice in 1942.