Today's voicemail is taken from the book, The Hidden History of Burma, A Crisis of Race and Capitalism, by Thant Myint-U.
Burma/Myanmar has experienced a long period of instability, turmoil and civil war. It has cropped up in the news time and time again in relation to 2 main crises - the military junta versus Aung San Suu Kyi and the mistreatment of the Rohingya. In part 1 of this episode, I explore some of the main threads in Burma's medieval and colonial history, as well as the developments during WWII which would later become the new challenges facing modern Burma.
Thant Myint-U is the grandson of U-Thant, who was the UN Secretary-General in the 1960s, a position he held with diligence and success. Thant Myint-U himself is a historian and former UN official, who has worked extensively in and about Burma. Reading this book was in many ways scratching the surface of Burma, which as Myint-U puts it, is in a crisis of race & capitalism. The 'race or ethnic' factors of Burma have been talked about a lot but with little true understanding, whereas Burma's economic faults have received little to no attention. This book sheds lights on both of these issues, revealing the deep fissures within a country which for the most part, has yet to reap the rewards of modern day life.
I cannot stress how well-written this book is, a concise account of history, experience, reflection and political commentary.
Select audio at the beginning of episode: All credits go to the right owners, I own nothing. No copyright intended.
References:
The Hidden History of Burma, a Crisis of Race and Capitalism, Thant Myint-U, 2021
A History of Myanmar Since Ancient Times, Traditions and Transformations, Michel Aung-Thwin, Maitrii Aung-Thwin, 2013
The History of Myanmar, William J Topich, Keith A Leitich, 2013
Cover art: Fresco depicting a procession of soldiers and elephants, from Bagan (formerly Pagan), a city in Burma (Myanmar) that was the ancient capital of several kingdoms from the 11th to 13th centuries A.D.
