ABSTRACT
To emphasize the new nation's sovereignty, the Union of Burma chose to remain outside the British Commonwealth of Nations. During the British days, the non-Burman minorities of Chins, Kachins, Shans, and Karens, occupying the largely hilly and relatively infertile half of the country's geographic area, had been administered separately as "excluded areas." Unfortunately for Myanmar, most of the well-conceived economic schemes went awry because of a variety of factors. The NUF's impressive gains were more a reflection of the public's ire against high prices and unsalable stocks of rice than a preference for its socioeconomic programs. After civilian rule was restored in 1960, the military continued to wield political influence. In March 1962, Ne Win, on his own, imposed military rule on the country. Although the State Law and Order Restoration Council's commitment to restoration of democracy was doubtful, its political and military moves toward integration of the nation's numerous ethnic communities into the "Union of Myanmar" proved very successful.
