Social Aspects of Nation Building in Myanmar - Essay Example

The weekly schedule will be carried out as follows: According to Reid1 nation building and state, nationalism is of greater importance after the end of colonial rule. The Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) took power in 1948 as an alliance of several factions.2 It was formed with an aim of ending colonial rule (Hlaing 2008) The introduction of socialism created a socialist economy in which capitalist enrichment and exploitation of the underprivileged was impossible.3 Socialism would, in this case, enhance national unity (Steinberg 1982) Myanmar was founded as a secular state but Buddhism came to play an important role in nation building after 1948 (Smith 1965).

Nu the first Prime minister encouraged the appeal of Buddhism as a unifying national ideology.4 In 1962, Ne Win staged a coup d’état and took over power. The military considered the takeover necessary since the Union Government “…represented the interests of feudal elements; exploiting landlords; national and foreign capitalists; bureaucrats…”5 The military, therefore, took over governance with an intention to restore unity and equality among the people.

Nash, Manning. “Buddhist Revitalisation in the Nation State: The Burmese Experience.” In Religion and Change in Contemporary Asia, edited by Robert F.Spencer.