Spring Awakening

Episode #348: The Spring Revolution in Myanmar represents a continuation of long-standing struggles for a legitimate political order, according to Charlie Thame, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Thammasat University.

Thame describes this uprising as a "redemptive revolution," striving to fulfill the promises of past movements like the 1988 Uprising and the Saffron Revolution. The current revolution aims for popular sovereignty and inclusion, seeking rights for marginalized ethnic groups within a federal democratic state.

Thame emphasizes that the grassroots nature of this uprising distinguishes it from past "passive" revolutions that failed to reflect the people's will. The current movement seeks not merely power-sharing but the full dismantling of military dominance. He critiques the international community for legitimizing Myanmar's military despite popular opposition, and he advocates for a redefinition of ‘sovereignty,’ one that is rooted in the people's will, much like struggles seen during the era of decolonization.

Addressing the issue of revolutionary violence, Thame argues that while non-violence is preferable, it has proven ineffective as a singular strategy against Myanmar's military, which uses brutal force indiscriminately. Thame is critical of the hypocrisy of outside actors who decry revolutionary violence while supporting oppressive regimes, and he calls out the Western community's “both sides” rhetoric that ignores power asymmetries.

"The revolution doesn't end with the military being defeated," Thame says, addressing the broader aspirations that he hopes can be achieved. "The revolution would only end with the sort of realization of the aspirations that drove it originally: those aspirations, not just for a new constitution, but for fundamentally more equal society and overcoming those social, ethnic, religious, generational class cleavages. And I just hope, with all my power, that that is something that can be followed through on because once the military starts collapsing, as I believe it will."