Ruptured continuity

(This article is part of our special package on Myanmar. Read more articles here.)

The key expectation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in Myanmar, which fills the majority of seats in both houses of parliament, is for it to deliver social justice, an end to poverty, and a stable democracy. The country's challenges are enormous: nearly 75 percent of the population is clustered very close to the poverty line. Recent data on income and wealth inequality are not available, and though World Bank data suggests low income inequality, a visit to any part of the country manifests stark income and wealth disparities, especially in the ethnic minority areas. Access to health and education is difficult and typically a privilege of those from upper income groups.

The government's path to achieve economic, social and climate justice has two inherent hurdles. The NLD heads the ministries crucial to economic and social development and environment, and also the newly combined ministry of finance and planning. These ministries are under the centralised control of the NLD party leadership which translates into less room for professional and technical – as opposed to politicised – decision-making. In addition, the military retains its absolute power over home, defence and border affairs and 25 percent of the total seats in parliament. Without genuine control, to what extent is there a scope for the government to take a proactive role in substantively improving human well-being and re-shaping the economy? In other words, what is the new government's vision for social-economic transformation?