How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them

Content Warning: The source text depicts acts of violence and other crimes associated with civil wars.

In this chapter, Walter focuses on a powerful new weapon that generates anger and resentment and accelerates political instability and violence: social media.

Walter begins by discussing her own experiences observing Myanmar’s transition from military to civilian rule in 2011. After decades of rule, the military finally agreed to give up power, allow elections, and free Aung San Suu Kyi, who is a well-known opposition leader and political prisoner. While Walter remained hopeful about the transition, she was also concerned that Myanmar could fall into the anocracy zone, especially if Aung San Suu Kyi was elected prime minister. There were two reasons for her concern. The first is that the military, which had held so much power, would suddenly lose all its power. As noted in Chapter 3, this type of loss of power can lead to civil war.

The second is the rise of factions, particularly a Buddhist superfaction. Buddhists were Myanmar’s sons of the soil. Muslims, including the Rohingya people, represented the minority group. For years, Buddhist nationalists demanded more power and rights and discriminated against Muslims.