Maung, U Maung
Description
PART ONE THE EARLY PERIOD Chapter 1 The Original Political Movements
This chapter traces the origin of politics under
Colonial rule, its relation to the Buddhist revivalism of the
beginning of the 1900s; and the foundation of political organisation
through the YMBA (the Young Men Buddhist Association), within
the framework of the British socio-political setting. The Burmese
political movement began after an impetus had been gained with
cautious Buddhist modernist civic activities that...[Show more] were aimed at
countering the effects of the imposition of foreign social fabric
by the British Government, the extensive economic activities of
British and allied business enterprises, and aggressive activities
of the foreign Christian missions in the field of education. The
Burmese Buddhist missions and societies were few but were determined
in their chosen task of maintaining the tradition of Buddhist
ethos and the way of life among the educated towns-people. The YMBA
on the other hand came to be organised mainly with secret political
ambitions, but had to camouflage these with civic and educational
activities for some years in order to survive British Government
suspicions. However it could not remain thus long and in 1917 open
indulgence in politics took place with the advent of Montague-
Chelmsford reforms.
Chapter II Political Agitation Begins
This chapter shows the sangha (Buddhist monk) leadership
especially in political agitation initiated by U Ottama
and the young dhamnakatikas he trained. Though U Ottama's political
leadership was admired by most people, his spirit was exemplified
most by the youthful student leaders of the Rangoon University
Strike of 1920, the first strike in Burma. The spirit of challenge
of authority of the British Government by the student boycott spread to the people and the GCBA (the renamed YMBA and allied
associations) which also protested against the Dyarchy reforms
and boycotted the government.
Chapter III The Sangha Takes Over the GCBA
In this chapter the stage by stage absorption
of political power of the lay leaders of the GCBA by the sangha
is shown and explained. Also the increasingly radical policies
and aggressive agitation led by the sangha, and which came to be
espoused enthusiastically by the people is covered, as well as
the resulting rejection by the latter of the original founders
of politics and more able and moderate lay political leaders.
Chapter IV A Decade of Repression
The results of radical and aggressive political
agitation led by the sangha in the GCGS and the GCBA was an
increasing and harsh repression by the Eritish authorities in
all spheres of life of the Eurnan whether lay or religious. The
sufferings of the people and the bitterness these spread among the
rural population is detailed at some length in here.
Chapter V The Decline
This chapter shows the degradation and fragmentation
of the original political movements, the GCBA and the GCSS.
The reputations of both the lay and sangha leaders became tarnished;
the organisations split asunder repeatedly; the leaders dissipated
their credibility and authority in the populace. The public turned
away from their political leaders disappointed and discouraged;
disillusionment of politics set in. The great movements and the
super-human sacrifices of the sangha leaders, and valourous
activities of the rural public became wasted. THE NEW REVOLUTIONARY FORCES
Chapter VI The Dawn of the Turbulent Thirties
It describes the social, economic and political
situation of Burma at the entry into the 1930s. The circumstances
gave birth to a new outlook, new political consciousness, and new
nationalist activities by the new crop of University students in
early 1930s.
Chapter VII The Peasant Revolt
The Saya San Rebellion of 1930-32 is covered in some
detail here to illustrate it as the natural finale of the nationalist
struggles of the 1920s and the boycott of the British Government
by staunch GCBA rural public who suffered persecution most.
The causes of the rebellion was also covered in detail in order
to refute the British official propaganda that it was a result of
the Burma's fondness for superstition and violence.
Chapter VIII The Gestation Period
The whole chapter is devoted to the nature of the
new Buddhist revivalism of the 1930s, its nature and tbe principal
personalities and their main movements. The effects of the new
revivalism on the people of Burma, and the youth is described
briefly. Politics had become a neglected activity if not also
a discredited one.
Chapter IX The Time of Tests
In this chapter the struggle of the new nationalists
to clarify their own aims and role, of winning support of the
people, and their main thrust in confronting the foreign ruler is
shown. The nature of the new leaders, their principal activities, the University life of 1930s, its atmosphere of renaissance,
authoritarian rule by the authorities, the revolt against these
by the KUSU led by Ko Nu and friends, the University Strike of
1930, its sweeping success in winning public support, the revival
of nationalism among the people, their reawakening of self-confidence
in political agitation are covered briefly* The new
nationalists became fully established in public esteem, and their
systematic organisation of machineries of leadership and management
of the people against the Government by establishing
nation-wide student unions, widening and intensification of the
activities of the DA, are also seen in this chapter
Chapter X The First Challenge
In it the nature of student nationalist leadership,
the mode of operations, and their convictions and personal code is
given more substance. The new wave of agitation in the student
actions and then the role of the students and Thakins in the first
struggle against the rulers in a nation-wide strikes in 1938-39
are covered. In this chapter also the violent split of the DA,
its consequences, the failing leadership of the DA and student
entry into the DA to rejuvenate the failing nationalist struggle
and the DA itself are shown.
Chapter XI The General Strike (The First Challenge Continued)
In it, the origin and actual course of the BE 1300
Revolution or the General Strikes of 1938-39 are detailed. It
began as an unauthorised strike by oil fields labour, and also the
lack of preparation by the DA to take it up was shown; but the
persistence of oil fields labour leaders, Thakins all of them,
forced the HQrs DA to lead them and the nation in an unprepared
struggle against the British. The failing strikers' march to
Kangoon and the DA's appeal to student leaders to help; the student involvement and the sacrifice of young lives and careers
is shown. From the DA split of June 1938 the Thakins had become
spent force, so soon after their fire-brand political agitation;
it shows how the students emerged as the only revolutionary force
that was actually able to lead and did led the people from 1938.
Chapter XII Preparation for the Second Challenge
The coming of the Second World War, the effects on
the Burmese body politic, and the activities of the nationalists
are detailed in this chapter. The founding of the Burma Freedom
Bloc, its main activities, the role of the students in leading and
uniting Burma, the DA and its inner conflicts, the origin of the
Burma Communist Party, the founding and conduct of the Underground I
against the British, the Contacts with Japan, the Cooperation
with the Japanese Military, and the initiating of the first armed
struggle with foreign aid can be seen.
Chapter XIII The Conclusions
Here the main purpose of the thesis, and the
justification for the substance of the writing, the actual undeniable
logic of the motivations and the consequences of each stage of the
organisation, management, and leadership of the struggle against
the British Government are shown. The facts stated in the first
12 chapters are now correlated and summarised and offered to the
reader, the irrefutable conclusions of the author.
The Appendices
All of them further illustrate the author's conclusions
with more detailed supporting evidence from the newspapers
and other sources. Almost every appendix is a historical document.
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