The political system of Myanmar had changed four times during the twentieth century. In 1948 it changed from a colonial political system that allowed limited “home rule” to a parliamentary democracy system of majoritarian rule that mimicked the Westminster model. After the military coup of 2 March 1962, the country was ruled by decree as the ruling Revolutionary Council (RC) assumed executive, judicial, and legislative powers. From January 1974 until the military coup of 18 September 1988, a one-party socialist system that professed “democratic centralism” was in place. Thereafter, Myanmar's political system reverted back to that in which the military junta known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) exercised executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The military regime which has been conflated with the state appears to be determined to “bring the state back in” to play a domineering role after the latter's near-collapse in the upheaval of 1988.

In this latest round of regime change, the ruling military junta (re-established as the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, on 15 November 1997) has been managing a dual transition towards “multi-party electoral democracy” and a market-oriented economic system. A challenging task made more difficult because the junta's legitimacy and authority have been contested, since its inception, not only by the legally constituted political opposition and a constellation of illegal or unlawful organizations, insurgents, and expatriate groups, but also by some Western states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well.