The role of the military in Myanmar's political economy
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Authors
Stein, Pamela T.
Subjects
Myanmar
Burma
political
economy
Tatmadaw
socialism
market liberalization
capitalism
developmental state
New Institutional Economics
State Law and Order Restoration Council
growth
military
authoritarian
policy
model
government
bureaucracy
relationships
norms
state intervention
private
public
sector
import substitution
export oriented
industrialization
prices
macroeconomic
monopoly
force
Burma
political
economy
Tatmadaw
socialism
market liberalization
capitalism
developmental state
New Institutional Economics
State Law and Order Restoration Council
growth
military
authoritarian
policy
model
government
bureaucracy
relationships
norms
state intervention
private
public
sector
import substitution
export oriented
industrialization
prices
macroeconomic
monopoly
force
Advisors
Barma, Naazneen
Date of Issue
2016-03
Date
Mar-16
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
This thesis examines the role of Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, in the country’s political economy. Using a hybrid of the New Institutional Economics and the developmental state model as the analytical framework, a historical comparative analysis of Myanmar’s political economic institutions during its socialist period (1962–1988) and market liberalization period (1988–2010) reveals that the Tatmadaw was a major actor with a dominant role in shaping Myanmar’s political economic institutions. Myanmar’s socialist trajectory was enabled by the Tatmadaw’s monopoly of force and motivated largely by national security and the Tatmadaw leaders’ colonial experiences. Under the Tatmadaw’s leadership, socialist and militaristic institutions became ingrained in Myanmar’s political economy while the development of market-oriented institutions became significantly restrained. Although distorted political economic institutions caused the decline of Myanmar’s economy, the Tatmadaw’s desire to maintain political power was the key motivator for the regime to abandon socialism and embrace capitalism. Granted that Myanmar’s private sector has grown since market liberalization, lingering socialist-era norms continue to negatively influence the development of Myanmar’s economic policy and misshape emerging economic institutions.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs
National Security Affairs
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.