Nicholas Kong
Myanmar’s crisis, often framed as a civil war or humanitarian disaster, is fundamentally a struggle over power and profit. For decades, the military has engineered a system that converts political control into personal economic gain. Understanding this architecture is essential to explaining why repression persists despite mass resistance—and why external actors have struggled to shape outcomes.1
Power Structure: Rule by Design
Myanmar’s military rule is rooted in a delusional belief in divine entitlement, akin to royalty, claiming ultimate ownership of the nation and its resources. Over time, this absolutist mindset evolved into a parallel state embedded within formal institutions.
The 2008 Constitution entrenched military dominance by reserving 25% of parliamentary seats for serving officers, granting the armed forces veto power over constitutional amendments. The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) concentrates authority in the commander-in-chief, who controls defense, policing, internal and border security beyond civilian oversight. This structure enables the military to override elected institutions under any declared “emergency,” rendering civilian rule conditional and reversible.
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