Burma Redux: Global Justice and the Quest for Political Reform in Myanmar

On the world stage Myanmar is generally treated as a pariah, Western nations and corporations having washed their hands of its brutal authoritarian regime. In this considered and up-to-the-minute analysis, rooted in a firm foundation of political theory, Holliday, a political science professor at The University of Hong Kong, examines the current state of the country once known as Burma. The book traces Myanmar’s history from British colonial rule to the decade or so of relative progress that followed independence, through the coups of 1962 and 1988 that established and reaffirmed military rule, which was marked by kleptocracy, repression, human rights abuses, and ethnic conflict. Although the 2010 election promised a new era of what leaders call “discipline-flourishing democracy,” Holliday sees the new government as a “sham democracy” that has done little to lessen military power or truly respect the people’s voice. Exploring the options for intervention, he questions the extent of global responsibility for change, and the effectiveness of current strategies like sanctions and boycotts. Arguing that engagement more than isolation will help Myanmar reform and rejoin the global community, Holliday advocates for grassroots tactics to promote democratic values by building a vibrant civil culture from the ground up. This astute book, best suited for political analysts or researchers, extends the hope that Myanmar might return to its once promising state. (Mar.)