Pacts, patronage and fear: how Myanmar’s junta chief holds on to power
Regime Survival Through Elite Pacts
Power-sharing is managed through elite pacts embedded within the officer corps, where regime survival is closely tied to collective officer loyalty and mutual obligations. These pacts form the backbone of the military’s internal governance, ensuring that key positions are filled by individuals who are both loyal and aligned with the junta’s leadership.
Min Aung Hlaing’s Rise to Absolute Control
That sense of the generals as the country’s ultimate protectors pushed Min Aung Hlaing to take absolute control in February 2021, months after a series of political and military developments that destabilized the previous government. His consolidation of power marked a shift from shared authority to centralized military dominance.
Rooted in Fear and Intimidation
The junta’s control was rooted in fear: fear of a midnight arrest, fear of public exposure, and the pervasive atmosphere of intimidation that permeates daily life in Myanmar. This psychological environment has been instrumental in maintaining compliance and suppressing dissent.
Political Power as Personalistic and Relational
Political power in Myanmar was highly personalistic, defined by relationships of obligation to rulers and overlords rather than by formal jurisdictional control over territory. This structure emphasizes the importance of personal connections and loyalty over institutional or legal frameworks.
Myanmar’s Ongoing Crisis of Power and Profit
Myanmar’s crisis, often framed as a civil war or humanitarian disaster, is fundamentally a struggle over power and profit. The conflict reflects not only political instability but also economic exploitation and the concentration of wealth among a small elite.