Decoding the Regime Playbook
Insight Myanmar30 Jul 2024

Decoding the Regime Playbook

Episode #255: Roger Huang dives into the enigmatic nature of Myanmar's political landscape, arguing that the transition period wasn't driven by external pressures like sanctions or international isolation, but by an internal recalibration towards the military realizing its vision of a “disciplined democracy.” This vision is rooted in the failure of the Burmese Way to Socialism of the 1960s-70s, which prompted the military to pivot towards more economic openness combined with tightly controlled democratization that would ensure their continued dominance.

From the 1990s onwards, the military indeed benefited from economic openings despite international sanctions, enriching themselves and cronies through trade with countries like China and Thailand. The 2010s brought genuine, albeit limited, liberalization, which was part of the military's plan, and not a step towards full democratization. The military's grip tightened again as the NLD's electoral success threatened their system.

Civil society, often seen as a democratizing force, was allowed to flourish only within strict limits, providing services where the state did not, but never challenging the military's core interests. The military's resilience, unity, and adaptability have been key to its enduring control. In sum, Huang's analysis presents a stark picture: the junta’s “disciplined democracy” was never meant to transition to true civilian rule, and any significant challenge to this system would always have been met with the swift reassertion of military dominance.

Episoder(509)

Steve Smith, Part 1

Steve Smith, Part 1

Episode #167: Steve Smith’s first meditation teacher was Mahasi Sayadaw. He visited the Sayadaw’s rural Seikkhun monastery back in 1977. Steve was moved by how the great teacher embodied centuries of ...

23 Mai 20231h 42min

Threads of Justice

Threads of Justice

Episode #166: Han Gyi, a coordinator at the Network for Human Rights Documentation, also known as ND-Burma, joins us today to talk about the organization’s work, which focuses on human rights document...

19 Mai 202349min

Access Denied

Access Denied

Episode #165: Toe Zaw Latt, a journalist currently with Mizzima talks with us about access to communications in Myanmar.Before the arrival of mobile phones and internet in the country, one of the few ...

16 Mai 20231h 15min

Flavors of Freedom

Flavors of Freedom

Episode #164: Yunanda Wilson has warm memories not only of the scrumptious fish noodle dish—known as mohinga—that her grandmother was famous for, but also its place in her family history. Her grandmot...

12 Mai 202359min

The Inconvenient Truth about the Military Coup

The Inconvenient Truth about the Military Coup

Episode #163: Jack Jenkins Hill, a PhD student at the University College London, joins the show to discuss the state of capitalism and the deteriorating environment in Myanmar. Hill has spent the last...

5 Mai 20231h 8min

Contrasting Iran and Myanmar

Contrasting Iran and Myanmar

Episode #162: Pardis Mahdavi, Provost and Executive Vice-President as well as professor of anthropology at the University of Montana, joins the conversation to talk about the growing discontent and pr...

28 Apr 20231h 8min

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Episode #161: Dan Sullivan, the Director of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East at Refugees International, joins this episode to discuss the challenges facing the Rohingya community. Most of the world b...

25 Apr 202352min

U Gambira

U Gambira

Episode #160: U Gambira was a 29-year old monk in 2007 when he helped foment the initial protests that grew into what came to be known as the Saffron Revolution. After running away from home because o...

21 Apr 20231h 59min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
i-retten
stopp-verden
popradet
det-store-bildet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-ness
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik
e24-podden