The British colonised Burma as a way to take advantage of the unstable political climate in the country towards the end of the 1800s. At this time, the British government was going through extensive development, with Egypt and Hong Kong also under this nation’s rule. We shouldn’t also forget that the country’s close nature to other Asian countries (such as India) were also vital in the decision to start a conquest. Unbeknown to some, there was the Burmese War between 1824 and 1826 which followed the British East India Company’s first attempt to enter the capital Myanmar. It’s an interesting fact that back in the 1600s, more than two centuries before this unrest broke out, British representatives from the very same company had identified Burma as a potential asset.
The British East India Company’s process of colonising Burma was a slow and steady one, and originally, only pockets of Burma were colonised until expansion became possible. This state of affairs would remain for approximately 60 years before the British would annex the country, meaning Burma was now a part of British India.
For 63 years, Burma has been an independent country, and has its own democratic mechanisms and a constitution. Despite this, there have been several controversies over the years that have included the house arrest of Aung Sun Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been wrongly detained in the eyes of many freedom fighters. Economically, the country is also a leading exporter of rice to the developed western world.
The British East India Company’s process of colonising Burma was a slow and steady one, and originally, only pockets of Burma were colonised until expansion became possible. This state of affairs would remain for approximately 60 years before the British would annex the country, meaning Burma was now a part of British India.
For 63 years, Burma has been an independent country, and has its own democratic mechanisms and a constitution. Despite this, there have been several controversies over the years that have included the house arrest of Aung Sun Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been wrongly detained in the eyes of many freedom fighters. Economically, the country is also a leading exporter of rice to the developed western world.
