Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of maps
- Chronology
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Burma under colonial rule
- Chapter 2 The colonial center
- chapter 3 Self-government without independence, 1937–1947
- Chapter 4 The democratic experiment, 1948–1958
- Chapter 5 Dress rehearsals, 1958–1962
- Chapter 6 The Revolutionary Council
- Chapter 7 The BSPP years
- Chapter 8 Toward democracy, 1988–1990
- Chapter 9 Perpetual delay, 1990 to the present
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Readings
- Index
Chapter 8 - Toward democracy, 1988–1990
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2015
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of maps
- Chronology
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Burma under colonial rule
- Chapter 2 The colonial center
- chapter 3 Self-government without independence, 1937–1947
- Chapter 4 The democratic experiment, 1948–1958
- Chapter 5 Dress rehearsals, 1958–1962
- Chapter 6 The Revolutionary Council
- Chapter 7 The BSPP years
- Chapter 8 Toward democracy, 1988–1990
- Chapter 9 Perpetual delay, 1990 to the present
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Readings
- Index
Summary
Although, as we have seen, Burma underwent several major watersheds in its modern historical development, the most crucial and perhaps most surprising, given the scale, the suddenness, and the importance of its impact, is the popular revolution of 1988. While Burmese were clearly unhappy with the BSPP government, the state had successfully managed its international image, convincing the world not that it was a good government, but rather that domestic opposition was largely a problem of ethnic polarization (the ethnic insurgencies) and foreign intervention (the Communists).
Regardless of how much resignation the general population displayed until this point, the BSPP government would fall as a result of the release of popular pent-up frustrations before the year was finished. As one Burmese leader from the period later recalled:
As the years rolled by, we had started to equate lethargy and lack of change with stability; speeches and motions with no progress; excuses with reason; and manipulated statistics with real facts. Our people are not that simple; they saw, they felt, and they knew, but they can be patient, and they can wait. When all the waiting they could do was done, the storm broke.
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- A History of Modern Burma , pp. 148 - 169Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009
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