Myanmar Rises: The Spring Revolution

Myanmar’s post-colonial history is punctuated by uprisings, revolts and rebellions against unjust and illegitimate rulers. Yet the popular response to the 2021 military coup is, arguably, the first such anti-government movement that truly qualifies as a revolution. The scale of mobilisation across the country is unprecedented; so, too, is its broad social composition and the vision of alternative social and political relations and new forms of governance legitimacy expressed at both the national and local levels. Myanmar Rises brings together scholars, activists and practitioners from Myanmar and around the world to analyse and reflect on this movement, which is commonly known as the Spring Revolution. Twelve separate chapters examine the role of key revolutionary actors, including the armed resistance forces, the Civil Disobedience Movement, and emerging non-state political authorities in areas under resistance control; shed light on the deeper social transformations underway; and highlight the extreme economic, social, and humanitarian costs of the struggle. Together this collection presents an empirically rich and analytically deep account of a revolutionary movement that was established in protest against military rule but is fundamentally changing Myanmar politics, economy and society from the bottom up.