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The British and the Suppression of Burma

Political Suppression

Before the British began the colonization of Burma in 1824, Burma whose country's population was one-tenth as dense as that of England, was one of the richest in the world in terms of resources. But the greatest source of wealth lies in the paddy fields. Burma's climate was more stable than that of India's allowing agricultural production to flourish, and thus brought attention to the British.

Since country that has almost entirely been based on agriculture, the British would only educate a select few for Government positions. This was because the Natives would work for less pay and have a better mindset for their culture allowing them to settle legal dispute easier. With loyalty to Britain also came livelihood, so they were less likely to go against them.

The Landscape

Although the British were building roads, hospitals and establishing law and order, it was mainly for the benefit of the British. It just so happened that the Burmese could use them as well. Care was taken to avoid technical and industrial training to the Burmese people. This rule was observed throughout India, with aims to stop India from becoming an industrial country capable of competing with England, the same rule applied to Burma also. Therefore, because there were no educated classes, public opinion that would lead to rebellion against England, was non-existent.

Suppression of Nationalism

By only educating very little of the population and keeping the Burmese people scattered as well as dependent on the British, the British were able to minimize nationalism which allowed the British to continue to exploit the labors of the Burmese people.

The British Empire was able to keep the Burmese people from becoming industrialized as well as creating a system where they relied solely on the graces of British rule, yet the British had no obligations to Burma accept only to increase their wealth and power.

Economic Suppression

There wasn't hardly any economic damage at first. With a country with so much wealth (their idea of wealth was land) and whose population was so scattered, the Burmese people were unaware how British were exploiting their resources. With the increase of population, increase in taxation, the people of Burma began to struggle because their cost of living went up but their wages stayed the same. During which the whole time, the profit that was being made by their resources, was being spent elsewhere instead of in Burma itself.

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