The Military's Disposition to Intervene in Myanmar: Sustenance and Newfound Challenges.

The February 2021 coup abruptly ended the military-civilian political system in Myanmar, shortly after the popular National League for Democracy won the 2020 general elections. A series of peaceful protests and strikes erupted immediately after the military takeover, including the emergence of a trans-ethnic movement that forged intra-group unity to stop the junta from controlling the state machinery. This article addresses three central questions: How has the military regime sustained its dominance? Why have civilian-military relations in Myanmar remained unbalanced throughout most of its post-independence history? And why is a military government facing such formidable resistance for the first time? It argues that Myanmar's military, like its counterparts in many other postcolonial states, has long regarded itself as the sole guarantor of security and custodian of the nation. It has leveraged insecurity and the threat of lawlessness to maintain itsrule. The article provides theoretical and policy insights, along with primary data, to support these arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]