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Myanmar
In Brief |
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Statistical Act |
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| The Nationalist Movement |
Armed resistance along traditional lines followed
British annexation in l886. A modern nationalist movement began with
the founding of the Young Men's Buddhist Association [YMBA] in 1906
and developed with the formation in 1920 of the General Council of
Burmese Associations [GCBA], which advocated constitutional advancement,
and the staging of the University Boycott of 1920 directed against
the restrictive University Act.
The nationalist movement became more radical with the peasant uprising
led by Saya San in 1930 and the formation of the Dobama Asiayon (We
Myanmars Association) the same year. In 1938, the "Revolution
of (the Myanmar Year) 1300", which started with a strike in the
Chauk - Yenangyaung oilfields, brought the nationalist movement to
a high level of development.
With the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Thakin (later Bogyoke)
Aung San of the Dobama Asiayon, making an effort to stage an armed
struggle, made contact with the Japanese Army. A group of young members
of the Dobama Asiayon, the Thirty Comrades, was given military training
in Hainan and the Burma Independence Army (BIA) was formed in Bangkok
on 26 December 1942. The BIA advanced into Myanmar with the Japanese
Army and forced the withdrawal of the British in 1942.
The BIA, reorganized as the Burma Defence Army on 27 July 1942 joined
other anti- fascist elements in the Anti-Fascist Organization (AFO)
in August 1944 and started an armed struggle against the Japanese
forces on 27 March 1945.
After the War, the AFO was reorganized as the Anti-Fascist
People's Freedom League (AFPFL) with Bogyoke Aung San as President.
Demonstrating its political strength in a general strike in September
1946, the AFPFL was admitted into the Governor's Executive Council
with Bogyoke Aung San as Deputy Chairman of the Council. In November
1946 the AFPFL called for independence within one year and discussions
with the British Government resulted in the Aung San - Attlee Agreement
of 27 January 1947, which provided for the functioning of the Executive
Council as an interim government and the holding of elections for
a Constituent Assembly.
On 12 February 1947 Bogyoke Aung San concluded the historic Pinlone
Agreement with Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders, which laid the foundations
for the establishment of a united independent Myanmar. Although Bogyoke
Aung San and other national leaders were assassinated on 19 July 1947,
Myanmar regained independence on 4 January 1948.
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| AFPFL Government |
By the Constitution of 1947 Myanmar was formed
as a quasi - federal Union, with Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Shan States
as constituent states, and with a governmental system in which the
cabinet was responsible to a bicameral legislature made up of the
Chamber of Deputies and Chamber of Nationalities.
The AFPFL dominated early post-independence polities, but the country
was much troubled by a widespread insurgency and the intrusion of
Kuomintang forces retreating from China. The AFPFL Government attempted
to follow a liberal socialist economic policy and launched the eight-year
pyidawtha Plan in 1952 in order to realize a welfare state.
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| The Caretaker Government and Its Aftermath |
Because of a split with the ruling AFPFL, the Parliament appointed
the Chief of Staff General Ne Win as head of a Caretaker Government
on 28 October 1958 and entrusted him with the task of holding fair
and free parliamentary elections.
During its tenure of office the Caretaker Government brought about
the end of feudal rule in the Shan and Kayah States and concluded
an agreement delimiting the boundary between Myanmar and China. It
held elections on 6 February 1960 and on 4 April 1960 handed over
power to the Pyidaungsu Party, which had won the elections.
However, the political situation rapidly deteriorated under the new
government with a split developing within the Pyidaungsu Party, dissatisfaction
against the making of Buddhism the State religion, and the development
of a movement for the creation of a truly federal state.
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| Revolutionary Council |
A military coup on 2 March 1962 resulted in the establishment of
a Revolutionary Council, which formed Security and Administrative
Committees down to the ward and village levels and attempted to restore
the security situation. Proclaiming a General Amnesty on 1 April 1963,
it started negotiations with various insurgent groups and concluded
an agreement with the Kayin Revolutionary Council on 12 March 1964.
The Revolutionary Council, taking a socialist stand, formed the Burma
Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) as a nucleus party on 4 July 1962
and announced its philosophy in The Correlation of Man and His Environment
in January 1963. In line with its socialist stand, the Revolutionary
Council nationalized many economic enterprises and started on the
First Four-Year Plan in 1971.
The BSPP, developing from a nucleus party to a people's party, held
its First Congress from 28 June to 11 July 1971. The Congress decided
on the drafting of a state Constitution and a commission was appointed
in September 1971. The constitution which was drafted and submitted
to a popular referendum was adopted on 3 January 1974.
Elections were held and the Revolutionary Council handed over power
to the BSPP Government on 2 March 1974.
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