Myanmar's Unfinished Road: Race, Capitalism, and the New Crisis of Democracy in the Twenty-First Century

The unrecognized Rohingya!
Unstoppable ethnic conflict!
A ceasefire that cannot bring peace!
The geopolitical and economic competition cannot be ignored!

After Aung San Suu Kyi came to power,
Political struggles and resource allocation continue to cause turmoil in the country.
U Thant Myint continues his work on Myanmar: The Arena of Gambling in New Asia
Detailed field research skills and profound writing,
Speak up for the grassroots people!

Readers can learn from this book:
◆The history behind why Myanmar went from being the richest country in the region to the most closed country.
◆Where does the conflict between the Rohingya and the Burmese come from?
◆Further explore how world powers will influence the future development of Myanmar’s politics and democracy!
What exactly should Myanmar do to embrace a brighter future?

The root cause of Myanmar’s problems lies in the fact that the British used barbarians to control barbarians and ignored the historical context of administrative divisions, but when they left, they left the problems to the colonized people themselves.
Contemporary Myanmar is a legacy of British colonial rule. The conquest of the Burmese kingdoms in the Irrawaddy River valley left a deep mark on the Burmese people. Mountainous ethnic groups, originally outside the Burmese kingdoms, developed steadily under British support. Indian and Chinese immigrant labor replaced the Burmese in job-rich towns like Yangon. The most important resources, whether teak, jade, or rice, remained firmly in British hands. After the outbreak of World War II, ethnic tensions and conflicts within the colony, like a Pandora's box, engulfed the entire population.

Western countries hope to see Myanmar embark on the path of democratization, but the result of not communicating with the military government at all is that the Myanmar people cannot receive any international assistance.
Originally, independence envisioned the formation of a multi-ethnic, autonomous "Union of Myanmar." However, after the military seized power, the Communist Party defected, and ethnic independence armed groups launched hostilities, everything changed. The military junta further escalated the issue, creating a deep connection between "Myanmar" and "Burmese," symbolizing Myanmar's path toward "unified assimilation" rather than "diversified development." Western countries' unwavering support for the National League for Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi further deepened the communication gap.
After Typhoon Nargis devastated Myanmar in 2008, the military junta finally opened its borders, allowing aid from around the world to flow in. Democracy advanced rapidly: Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in 2010, became a member of parliament in 2012, and finally ascended to the position of State Counsellor in 2016. This goddess, the guardian of Myanmar's democracy, finally enabled Myanmar to connect with the international community.

The mysterious Myanmar, which has been isolated for fifty years, seems to be moving towards prosperity: military generals who have handed over power, democrats who have successfully carried out reforms, rich natural resources, and a large influx of foreign capital.
In reality, ethnic tensions remain unresolved, and reform and opening up have only exacerbated conflict through resource allocation. The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya continues to intensify, and now, freed from the constraints of the military government, the Burmese are seeking to reclaim their lost self-esteem from "outsiders." The seemingly violent Burmese themselves are suffering, their land sold to emerging capitalists, forced into low-paid slave labor in neighboring countries, and denied any support from the state. Unable to resolve their plight, they resort to projecting their image onto the glory of the former Burmese kingdom, with nationalism becoming a driving force for survival.

What remains invisible are the people who live hard on this land.
Due to the Rohingya ethnic conflict, many subsidies and development projects have been cut off. China and India have also taken advantage of this situation to intrude in their rivalry in the Indian Ocean, creating unrest along the border and turning the geopolitical situation into a ticking time bomb. When will Myanmar be able to embrace a brighter future? U Thant Myint urged us to focus on the people. To bring them a new life, we must have new ideas; and to have new ideas, we must thoroughly review Myanmar's history. This hidden scar must be healed by improving the lives of the people.

Thant Myint-U

Thant Myint U is an award-winning author, historian, and environmental and wildlife advocate. He served for over a decade with the United Nations, participating in peacekeeping operations in Cambodia and the Balkans, and as an advisor to the Myanmar government during its early years of independence from military dictatorship. He currently lives in Yangon, where he is the director of U Thant House and the Yangon Heritage Trust. His book, "Myanmar: The Arena of the New Asia," was published by Marco Polo in 2019.

Related book: Myanmar: The Gaming Arena of New Asia

Huang Zhongxian

A graduate of the Department of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University, he is a full-time translator. His translations include The Great Divergence by Ken Pomeranz, the Mongol Empire trilogy by Jack Weatherford, The Origins of Political Order by Francis Fukuyama, Sixty Years After the War by Tony Judd, The Unfinished Empire and After Timur by John Darwin, Twilight of Empire by Stephen Pratt, The Autumn of the Taiping Rebellion, and The Hunanese and Modern China, as well as Vermeer's Hat and Mr. Selden's Map of China by John Brock.

Map of Myanmar

Chapter 1: The Birth of Modern Myanmar Chapter 2: A Changing Regime Chapter 3: Escape from Utopian Society Chapter 4: The Storm That Changed the Situation Chapter 5: Civil Unrest Chapter 6: Gradual Adjustment Chapter 7: Bloodline, Belonging, and the Resurgence of Nationalism Chapter 8: Uneasy Democratization Chapter 9: The Unfinished Nation

Postscript and Notes