Societies in Political Transition: A Comparative Study of Burma Under Ne Win and Indonesia Under Suharto

Abstract

This article explores the different patterns of political transitions under two military dictatorships in Southeast Asia. Burma and Indonesia were former colonies which gained independence from the British and the Netherlands in 1948 and 1945 respectively. General Ne Win ruled Burma for over two decades (1962–88) and General Suharto ruled Indonesia for over three decades (1967–98). The article examines why Burma remained a military dictatorship after the downfall of the Ne Win-led Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP) government, while Indonesia transitioned to a democratic society with the collapse of the Suharto-led New Order government. The article argues that a lack of a unified and established civilian leadership, coupled with the army’s reluctance to relinquish power, led to another military coup in Burma, whereas the military in Indonesia encouraged the emergence of a civilian government by establishing and strengthening bureaucracies.