Red Peacocks : Commentaries on Burmese Socialist Nationalism

Contents: Preface. Abbreviations. Introduction. I. Maung Chit Hlaing\'s Man\'s World View: 1. Fundamentals of the dialectical method. 2. Historical views. 3. Basic ideologies for practical work. II. First generation revolutionaries: 1938-1962: 4. Revolutionary socialism: ideology, policy and practice. 5. Revolutionary ideology 1942-45. 6. Straddling two horses: India, China and the Burma Community Party. III. Essays on the Burmese Revolution: 7. Foundations of Burmese nationalism. 8. Burmese Revolutionaries. Bibliography. Index. 

"Two contradictory terms--Preservation and Revolution--captured the mental state of Burmese leadership in the 20 century. The choice of which values and customs should be preserved and which discarded has had no clear consensus; yet this has been the heart of the ideological struggle among the leaders of Burma, now Myanmar. Providing deep insights into the Burmese socialist nationalist movement, this book explains the philosophy of political revolution sanctioned by Ne Win. It draws upon a body of treatises written by socialist revolutionaries that explain and justify rebellion and insurgencies against the government. Finally, it offers commentaries on Burmese political thought to demonstrate how contemporary Burmese political concepts are rooted in Pali antecedents from medieval dynasties."