ABSTRACT
Communal violence, ethnic tensions and glaring social disparities highlight the acute problems of social cohesion in Myanmar. Using a comparative-historical framework, the chapter traces the historical origins and trajectories of social cohesion and discusses the phenomenon in the context of the country’s current political and economic transformation. I show that Myanmar’s plural society has been historically constructed around the identity of the Bamar-Buddhist majority, thereby excluding, discriminating against and often antagonising some of the non-Bamar (and non-Buddhist) ethnic minority groups. Long periods of military rule, repression and a lack of participation have led to a breakdown of interpersonal trust; confidence in political institutions is low. With nation-building an unfinished business and a long authoritarian past, Myanmar faces a number of challenges in the current era of ongoing transformation. It has not yet established participatory institutions, and democracy remains a work in progress. The lack of interpersonal trust is the most serious challenge, influencing a number of important issues – such as the peace process, democratisation, party-building, civil-military relations and many more besides. The economic transformation creates further risks of undermining social cohesion - aggravating already-existing perceptions of inequality and fuelling ethno-separatist conflicts.
