The Burmese Communist Movement and the Failure of Its Revolutionary Utopia (1945-1975)

Between 1945 and 1975 the Communist Party of Burma hoped to obtain power in Rangoon, first through a non-violent revolution and later by turning to armed struggle. While the Communist revolt initially threatened the stability of the democratic government of a newly-independent Burma, it failed to overthrow the regime. The disunity among the communists, the strong resistance of the government in Rangoon, and the loss of social support, among other factors, gradually undermined the power of the BCP and prevented a Communist victory. By the mid-1970s, the BCP was no longer a threat to the Burmese state.