ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the mutual interactions between the physical and social structures in the two cities in order to explore the following societal and political tensions: Burmese and foreign, traditional and modern, and local and national. As the government and elite of Myanmar rush towards modernization and urbanization, they are forced to draft bold plans for the future without sufficient data and must narrow their focus on economic development and physical planning. The three pairs serve as a framework for examining the historical and ongoing negotiations between apparent dualities and for arguing that these tensions have produced discernible, if at times problematic, identities for the country's two largest cities. As in other British territories such as Calcutta and Singapore, the design of Rangoon was intended to be comprehensive and permanent. If Yangon is supposed to be modern, even in its current beleaguered state, then Mandalay continues to represent tradition.
