This article historicises the nature of political transition in Myanmar to better appreciate the challenges faced by civil society. After Myanmar’s political reforms in 2011, Western donors rushed into the country in support of what they misunderstood as a remarkable instance of democratisation. In 2019, escalating civil war, ethnic cleansing, and contracting civil liberties urge a rethink. This article argues that viewing transition in Myanmar through the lens of democratisation has always been misleading and problematic. Partial liberalisation was orchestrated by the military to safeguard its own power. Reforms have not only benefited civil society but also enabled the growth of uncivil society, fuelling sectarian violence and bolstering military rule. Operating on the assumption of democratisation, Western donors shifted funds from grass-roots networks to militarised state bureaucracies that seek to co-opt peace-building and development projects for the purposes of ethnocratic state-building and counterinsurgency. Rethinking the nature of transition is pivotal for preventing inadvertently aiding authoritarianism and conflict.

中文翻译：

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缅甸自上而下的转型：公民社会面临的挑战

本文将缅甸政治转型的性质历史化，以更好地了解民间社会面临的挑战。在缅甸 2011 年的政治改革之后，西方捐助者涌入该国，支持他们误认为是民主化的一个显着实例。2019 年，不断升级的内战、种族清洗和剥夺公民自由促使人们重新思考。本文认为，通过民主化的视角来看待缅甸的转型一直是一种误导和问题。部分自由化是由军方精心策划的，以维护自己的权力。改革不仅有利于公民社会，而且还促进了不文明社会的发展，助长了宗派暴力并加强了军事统治。在民主化的假设下运作，西方捐助者将资金从草根网络转移到军事化的国家官僚机构，这些官僚机构寻求为了民族国家建设和反叛乱的目的而选择和平建设和发展项目。重新思考转型的本质对于防止无意中助长威权主义和冲突至关重要。