Century of General Elections in Myanmar (1922-2020) in Various Contexts

Hans-Bernd Zöllner studied theology at the universities of Hamburg, Heidelberg and Göttingen (Germany). From 1983 to 1990 he served as a minister in the German Speaking Protestant Congregation in Thailand, where his duties included regular visits to Burma and Malaysia. After returning to Germany, he began researching Burma’s/Myanmar’s relations with the contemporary world, leading to his dissertation on the international outlook of the Burmese independence movements between the two World Wars in 1998. Since then, he has focused on giving lectures, conducting seminars, and writing articles and books, with a special focus on the impact of Theravada Buddhist concepts of power as exemplified by case studies.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Prologue to Part A (1922-1941) A “Historical Accident” and its Aftermath.- 3. 21 November 1922 An Election Boycotted – or Ignored – by the People .- 4. 17 November 1925 and 5 November 1928 An Interim Period of Shifting Alliances.- 5. 9 November 1932 A Highly Confusing Plebiscite.- 6. 26 November 1936 Parliament as the Stage for Political No-Confidence.- 7. Epilogue to Part A Split Opposition to British Style Political Modernity.- 8. Intermezzo 1 The Japanese Period (1942-1945).- 9. Prologue to Part B (1945 - 1962) Independent Burma's First Parliamentary Period Created by a Soldier-Politician.- 10. 9 April 1947: One State, One Leader. One League.- 11. 1951 An Election in Stages as an Anti-Climax.- 12. 27 April 1956 The Door Opener for a Part-Time Military Led Government.- 13. 6 February 1960 Clean and Fair – Followed by a Very Short Legislative Period.- Epilogue of Part B Elections held in Manifold Fragmented Contexts.- 15. Intermezzo 2 The Burmese Way to Socialism (1962-1988).- 16. Prologue to Part C (1988-2020) Competing Concepts of Electoral Democracy. A Variety of Transitions and a Third Coup.- 27 May 1990 From Zero to Victory and Back – A Roller Coaster Ride of the NLD.- 18. 7 November 2010 - A New Constitution, a New Party and an Election Boycott.- 19. 1 April 2012 A Much-noticed By-Election and its Manifold Contexts.- 20. 8 November 2015 Another almost Clean Sweep and a Second Dyarchy.- 21. 8 November 2020 After Another Victory: Back to Zero Point.- 22. Chapter 22 - Epilogue to Part C.- 23. Concluding Remarks and Outlook Burmese Ways.