Social Interactions in Burma - Article Example

The world has witnessed the mass protests in Burma since August 2007. Images of monks protesting on streets of Burma occupied newspapers. Apparently, the years of quiescence of monks, who are considered as one of the most powerful organized groups in Asia have decided to break their silence against the government of Burma which is run predominantly by the military men. The oil price hike which took place in August was blamed a s the prime mover of the protesters. However, an effort to trace the series of events in Burma will reveal that the recent mass protests cannot be simply explained by the single event of oil price hike. On February 22, 2007, groups of people from Rangoon started to stage protests in the local markets. These people were only a minority, though. They started by putting up posters and shouting about the apparent abuse of the military government. The people protested on the oil price hike. They also clamored for continuous supply of electricity in the country. However, a few hours after commencement of the protests, the activists were sent to jail. However short-lived their protests were, they were able to ignite the minds of other Burmese people (Heart, 2007). The Burmese government has been run by their military forces since 1962. The country was then led by a military man named Ne-Win. The said military official enforced a Burmese version of Socialism. The government took control of major industries in the country. He argued that it was the best way to establish a economic stability for the country. The government policy worked on the concept of self-sufficiency. Soon, almost all he key positions in the local industry were occupied by military men. However, after just a few months the Burmese people found their economy falling even further. It was evident that their military men were not doing god in their new-found jobs .By 1988, Burmese people could no longer tolerate the state of their economy vis-à-vis the increasing corruption brought about by monopolies and red tape in the government. The Burmese people staged protest actions in the hope of producing change in the government during those times.. They were not successful, however. Shortly after the period of instability, the Burmese government which as still led by military men started to invite foreign investors to their country. After the era of being almost self-sufficient, the Burmese government decided to approach economic and political matters from the other side of the fence. However, military men still held key positions in the government. The Burmese government boasted of subsidized prices for various basic commodities such as rice and other food products. However, rampant corruption existed. Companies could only do business if they had strong ties with military men. The government also had full control of foreign exchange. The rate of exchange as mandated by the government. The rate was unreasonably low. In the face of worsening poverty, the government still blindly allocated majority of its budget to the Armed Forces. The country was also under the provisions of the United States and of the rules set by Europe. Burma was further falling to the pit of poverty. The abovementioned problems did not seem enough for t he government. They instituted a new capital which was kept from the public. The new capital as to be built on the outskirts of the country. Naturally, the establishment of a new capital meant utilization of more resources of the government. In the succeeding yeas, more problems arose in Burma. The salary for government workers continued to decrease, reaching an amount which as not enough to support a family. Children in the country became sick and suffered from malnutrition. Infectious diseases were widespread. The prices f basic commodities were sky-rocketing. The people of Burma could no longer afford the price of basic commodities. On August 15, 2007, there was a very sharp increase in the price of fuel. The prices rose to as high as five hundred percent. The people of Burma could not depend on the alternative form of fuel, diesel, because its price also doubled. Of course, with the increase in the price of fuel comes a domino effect on the price of other commodities. Prices of transportation increased. It was the final straw for the people of Burma. Protests were staged in local markets. Initially, the government was highly reactive of the actions of the protesters. As soon as they come out of the streets, they were out to jail. When almost all of the protesters were in jail, the monks, who, for years were very quiet, took over (Mydans, 2007). The monks led the mass protests. This time, the military men could no longer contain the sentiments of the protesters. Social and economic analysts predict that if the monks don’t stop their protests, the government will soon have to make a very difficult decision. In September, the monks have tried to briefly abduct government officials. The monks have also started to paint walls, especially those of government infrastructures. This was in contrast t what the government expected to happen. They predicted that the protests would die a natural death. However, recent events proved to be the opposite. The local government, now more popularly known as the Military junta pursued with their plan of establishing a new capital for Burma. The United Nations sent a special envoy to the country (Worsnip, 2007). However, officials of the Burmese government did not afford due respect to the UN official. The UN official who was sent to Burma for a special mission of resolving political and economic issues of the country can just predict that he will soon be forcibly ousted from the country. The United States has likewise expressed that thy are denouncing the rules and actions of the Burmese government (Myanmar…, 2007) Much has been publicized regarding the mass protests in Myanmar especially when the maroon-robed monks joined and even spearheaded the protests. A number of analysts have shared their opinions regarding the events in Burma. However, the analysts view and therefore express their opinions in the light of political and economic theories. The author would like to direct the readers to a view of the Burmese issues in the light of theories on Social Interactions and Social Psychology. One of the easiest and the most direct ways of approaching the analysis is by trying to view the issue in the eyes of one of the Burmese people. One can the deeply ponder on the motivations of activists behind their actions and sentiments. The author would like to think that the situation in Burma is a vivid example of how the power of social influence can be underestimated using the fundamental attribution theory. It is very clear in this situation that individual predispositions of Burmese people are not the sol movers of their actions and sentiments. Events happening in their society clearly shape their way of thinking and their actions. The previous paragraphs are vivid pictures of the present situation in Burma. The attempt of tracing the very roots of recent protests is a fruit of years of being under strict and rigid government. The economic, and more importantly, psychological strategies employed by the Burmese government have created change in the thinking and motivations of the Burmese population. In the beginning, there as strict impedance of sponteneity of life. In the succeeding years, the Burmese people have experienced poverty. From mere inability to afford leisure activities, they went to inability to afford even the basic necessities Burmese people were pushed to do anything for survival. For years, Burmese people have been battered physically, financially, and even psychologically. Fear has been deeply inculcated in the very core of Burmese people. Memories of violent killings to stop protests in 1988 still linger in the minds of the Burmese population. These are but bitter memories This can very well be offered as an explanation behind the cold shoulder given by some people in Burma on the mass protest being staged in the country. The state of poverty in Burma have also pushed the people of Burma to do whatever they can in order to survive. There is very little room for pleasure and higher pursuits. People , foremost of all, have to survive. This is why people continue on with their jobs in place of protests in Burma. The people cannot lose their jobs at this very crucial point in time. The author would like to invoke the theory of behaviorism in psychology as a partial explanation of the events in Burma. As Skinner (1938) puts it, Positive and negative events in the environment are associated with specific behaviors, As previously mentioned, the long years of strict governance by the military in Burma has produced a population with great aounts of fear. The long years of poverty has instilled in the minds of Burmese people that life is a game of survival. Before one can find space to participate in protests against the government, on has to work in order to survive. Another partial explanation of the motivation of Burmese people would be the explanation based on subjective assumption that people are afraid of the innate power of the military men in the government. Burmese people know that the military are very powerful. They can do whatever they please with just one waive of their fingers The Gestalt Theory of Kurt Lewin in the 1930s have extensively dealt with the subjective motivation of people. No single social theory can be adjudged as a full explanation of all the events in the society. Each one partially gives light to the motivations behind the events in the society. The recent events in Burma are vivid illustrations of the interaction between the theories and the collective value as possible explanation for the motivation of people. As a final note, the author would like to apply rules on Improving Human Thinking. One way is to make the Burmese people jump over the Overconfidence Barrier. It is quite difficult, at this point, to ask Burmese people to transcend behind their basic needs especially in the face of poverty. However, this seems to be a feasible suggestion for the Burmese people. The United Nations has intervened for their country in the plea for other nations to extend their hlp. However, the military government seems astute in their ideals. A call for cooperation for the people of Burma might be on ideal suggestion. There is too much confidence on the part of the military government. They have full belief of their rules in running their country even at the expense of compromising the benefit of their countrymen. The protesting parties also have become firm in their decision to fight for their rights as a people. A compromise between the two might just be the simplest solution. In the face of a challenge for survival, it might be impossible to initiate ways of reasoning much less theoretical statistical and methodological principles. Other countries , like China and the United States, have tries to extend help. Their motivations are unknown to us. A compromise between the conflicting military government and the protesters might be the most feasible, yet simplest key to create peace in Burma. References France-Presse, Agense (2007). “Myanmar Protests Continue.” New York Times.USA. 1. September 22. Heart, Jonathan. (2007). “ The Hardship that Sparked Unrest.” BBC News. Bangkok, October 2 from wwww.bbc.co.uk.) “Myanmar Refuses to Renew Top UN Officials’ Mandate: US Outraged.”(2007) Thompson Financial News. USA. Mydans, Seth. (2007). “Monks Add Weight to Myanmar Protests.” International Herald Tribune.USA.1. Worsnip, Patrick (2007). “UN Council Deplores Crushing of Myanmar Protests.” Reuters. USA.October 1, 2007. Read More