454 - Religion and Politics In Burma

Religion and Politics In Burma
By Donald Eugene Smith
350 pp.Princeton, N. J., Princeton University Press, 1965. $7.50.

This extremely valuable and competent study purports to be the first detailed examination of the problem of religion and politics in any of the Theravada Buddhist countries since independence. Burma would certainly be the ideal place to make such a study and Dr. Smith has rendered a great service to several fields of scholarly enquiry by this book.

He begins by tracing the relationship of the Burmese kings to Buddhism prior to the British era. This is of no small importance in understanding the present political situation, since it has traditionally been the role of government to be the promoter of the faith, the protector and purifier of the Sangha, and the sponsor of Buddhist scripture study. During the British colonial period Buddhism was not discouraged, but it was definitely not given government sponsorship. This, Buddhists feel, accounts for much of the modern decline of Buddhism.

The relationship between the rise of nationalism and the resurgence of Buddhism is carefully handled. The account of the monks' participation in the independence movement makes helpful background study for understanding some of the current issues in Vietnam, although there are some basic differences here. The oscillation between the ideals of Aung San for a secular state and U Nu's for a theocratic-Buddhist state, and the relationship between Buddhism, Socialism and Communism in the General Ne Win period are admirably discussed and documented.

One of the most valuable chapters deals with the issues leading to the 1960 election and the attempt of U Nu to make Buddhism the state religion. One could hardly ask for a better case study for viewing the mixture of motives and the ambiguities of religion and politics. There is the rich mixture of U Nu's religious sincerity and political naivete; the split in the AFPFL over the use of religion to confuse political and economic issucs; the problem of minority groups living amidst 'tolerant' Buddhists and the fears of becoming 'second-class' citizens; the validity of the Marxist challenge to clarify confused economic thinking; and the concern of the traditionally anti-communist Army to avert a civil war and promote "The Burmese Way to Socialism."

This book is replete with detail and specific examples, but always well organized and controlled by the over-all view of the broad religious and political issues. The references to various studies, not likely to be known to the average reader, adds greatly to the value of the book.

As one who lived through the years in Burma to which this study is largely directed, I am greatly impressed by the thoroughness, careful selection of topics, and fairness of treatment found here. This study can do much to help those concerned with politics in S.E. Asia to take ade-

455 - Religion and Politics In Burma

quate account of the importance of the religious factors in Asian politics. On the other hand, for those concerned with Buddhism, it will be an aid to realism to see how an ancient faith seeks to come to grips with the issues raised in a revolutionary world. This will likely puncture some illusions of those who prefer to keep Buddhism in the sphere of the esoteric, rather than seeing it in the midst of the political realities where it just happens to be forced to live.

Paul D. Clasper
Drew University
Madison, N.J.