Since more than 40 years, Myanmar is ruled by a military junta, calling itself the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). It is today the last military regime of its kind in Southeast Asia. Due to disastrous economic policies initiated by the government, Myanmar belongs to the world’s Least Developed Countries (LCD’s), the majority of its population living below poverty line. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. Therefore, the military regime lacks the legitimacy to rule, but nevertheless they do so by using force to suppress oppositional movements.
Myanmar is one of the ethnically most diverse countries in the world, consisting of more than 100 different ethnic groups with their own history. Since its independence from Britain in 1948, Myanmar has experienced numerous conflicts between the central government and ethnic minority groups seeking autonomy. In this research paper, the reasons for the ethnic insurgency movements will be analyzed, as well as how the military regime has dealt with this conflicts. At the end, the state building process in Myanmar will be examined with the help of the „State in Society“ approach by Joel Migdal.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Motivation of Research Paper
1.2 Structure of Research Paper
2 Theoretical Background on Myanmar
2.1 History of Myanmar
2.2 Current Political Situation
2.3 Current Economic Situation
3 The Problem of Ethnic Insurgencies and its Impact on State Building
3.1 Ethnic Groups in Myanmar
3.1.1 Shan
3.1.2 Karen
3.1.3 Mon
3.2 The Reasons for Ethnic Insurgency Movements
3.3 Ethnic Minority Politics of the Government
3.4 The Impact of Ethnic Insurgencies on State Building in Myanmar
4 Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Themes
The research paper aims to analyze the root causes of ethnic insurgency movements in Myanmar and investigate how the military regime’s policies have influenced these conflicts and the subsequent state-building process, utilizing Joel Migdal's "State in Society" approach.
- Historical context and political evolution of Myanmar.
- Characterization of major ethnic minority groups and their insurgency motivations.
- Evaluation of the military regime’s minority policies and "Burmanisation".
- Application of the "State in Society" framework to assess Myanmar’s statehood.
- The role of the military in the current political landscape.
Excerpt from the Book
3.4 The Impact of Ethnic Insurgencies on State Building in Myanmar
During a mass meeting at Myanmar Convention Centre on the 27th July 2005, the joint-secretary of Yangon Division Union Solidarity and Development Association U Tha Win said that „the State Peace and Development Council is building Myanmar to become a peaceful, modern developed democratic nation upholding the national policies“.37
It can be argued that he used the word nation on purpose or not, as the definitions in political sciences of a nation and a state differ from each other.
The term nation is used to refer to a group of people with a common identity, which can be build upon a common language, history, race or culture.38 As Myanmar consists of more than 100 ethnic groups, most of them with their own languages, cultures, histories and races, it does not fulfill the criteria of a nation. Therefore, the statement of U Tha Win should be seen critically, as it seems that the Burmese government tries to create a common identity of all people in Burma through the so-called „Burmanisation“.
On the other hand, Myanmar can be described as a state, as it fulfills the criteria of having its own territory with recognized boundaries and people living in it on an ongoing basis, having a government which provides public services and having sovereignity as well as external recognition.39
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the research motivation regarding Myanmar's military rule and ethnic diversity, while providing a roadmap for the subsequent analysis.
2 Theoretical Background on Myanmar: This section provides a historical overview of the country and analyzes the current political and economic challenges facing the nation.
3 The Problem of Ethnic Insurgencies and its Impact on State Building: This chapter characterizes key ethnic minority groups, explains the origins of insurgency, and applies the "State in Society" approach to analyze the impact on state building.
4 Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings and suggests an asymmetrical federal system as a potential pathway for integrating ethnic minorities while maintaining national stability.
Keywords
Myanmar, Ethnic Insurgency, Military Junta, State Building, SPDC, Ethnic Minorities, Shan, Karen, Mon, Burmanisation, State in Society, Joel Migdal, Federalism, Political Reform, Civil War
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the persistent conflict between ethnic minority groups and the central military government in Myanmar and evaluates how these struggles impact the state-building process.
Which key ethnic groups are analyzed in this research?
The paper focuses specifically on the Shan, Karen, and Mon groups, detailing their history and their involvement in insurgency movements.
What is the main objective of the author?
The author aims to understand why ethnic insurgencies occur in Myanmar and whether the military regime’s current strategies for national unity are compatible with achieving a stable state.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author applies Joel Migdal’s "State in Society" approach to assess whether Myanmar qualifies as a strong or weak state within the context of ethnic diversity and military dominance.
What aspects of Myanmar are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the historical background, current political and economic status, the specific motivations of various ethnic groups, and the government's aggressive policy of "Burmanisation".
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Myanmar, ethnic insurgency, state building, military junta, Burmanisation, and minority politics.
How does the author define the term "nation" compared to "state" in the context of Myanmar?
The author argues that Myanmar meets the criteria for a "state" due to recognized territory and sovereignty, but fails the criteria for a "nation" due to its extreme ethnic diversity and lack of a shared common identity.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the impact of ethnic insurgencies on state building?
The author concludes that while ethnic insurgencies do not directly destroy the state due to military suppression, they prevent the realization of a unified "nation" as long as ethnic groups maintain distinct identities against forced assimilation.
- Quote paper
- Cornelius Streit (Author), 2006, The problem of ethnic insurgencies and its impact on state building in Myanmar, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58649
