Most studies of peasant uprisings against the colonial government in Burma have concentrated on the Peasant Rebellions of 1930-1932, although there were frequent smaller uprisings. An attempt will be made to throw new light upon this field of study by constructing a model of Burmese peasant uprisings, taking into consideration the cultural conditions of the time. As it is an example which allows clear observation of the rebel Burmese peasant consciousness, this paper will study the Myinmu uprising, which broke out in Myinmu township of Sagaing district on the 7th November 1910, with regard to the process by which a leader emerged, the formation of rebel groups, and the socio-economic background.
In this work it will be shown that the uprising was composed of three factors: (1) the emergence of a “Buddhistic” leader possessing supernatural powers, who (2) excited the peasants' expectations of a coming Buddhist millennium, and (3) a concurrent major economic crisis. When the peasants anticipated the advent of an ideal society in which
Minlaung or
Setkyamin rules by Buddhist Law, and a disastrous crop failure or economic collapse attackted their livelihood, then peasant uprisings broke out.
Other rural uprisings resulting from colonial rule equally reveal these three factors. Even if some of the supernatural “Buddhistic” leaders exploited contemporary sentiment by claiming relationship with the late
Konbaung kings, or if a world without taxes was presented as a pragmatic image of the ideal society, a set of three factors leads to the uprisings.
The peasants did not rise up against the government with
Da, or swords and spears, if one or more of these elements were lacking. For example, when the first and second factors, but not the third, were present, the movements would result in the peaceful formation of religious sects, or in petty uprisings without widespread support. And when a “Buddhistic” leader did not emerge, or various interpretations of the millennium arose amongst the people, the uprisings would neither occur easily nor be so long-lasting.
However, each of the three factors does not have equal weight. Economic crisis is the most important, and is fundamental to the occurrence of peasant uprisings. The usual pattern is that a “Buddhistic” leader emerges owing to an economic crisis, so that people seek to achieve an ideal Buddistic society. The more serious the crisis, the more popular, long-lasting and widespred would be the uprisings.
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