Why now? The making of modern burma: Drivers of democratization

Having ruled the country for more than five decades, the Burmese military regime voluntarily gave up its iron-fisted power in late 2010. Many wonder why the regime did this. This thesis examines the key drivers behind Burma's democratization, analyzing the internal and external threats to the regime that affected its thinking. In the past, the regime responded quickly and violently to movements for democratic change. The thesis critically assesses those drivers to answer why the regime has now opted for change. I will critically analyze the four drivers of the reform process--rapidly growing civil unrest, China's excessive influence, the modernization of the deteriorating Burmese military, and the benefits of a new political economy for the regime and its cronies.