In 1974, 12 years after the coup, TCR was replaced by a new political party; Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP). This was, once more, with an intention towards a civilian government. BSPP is best described as a hybrid party, at first glance, it looks civilian, but it is not entirely so in terms of personnel distribution and control mechanism. However, it is not entirely military either, considering military principles and structure. BSPP kept the power up until the rebellion in 1988, the year Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Myanmar. This was the third time the military would reclaim control and power, this time under the same name as in 1958, The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). During the next 23 years of government, the SPDC´s focus was towards the idea of a “Pure” Burmese country. The idea was to build a modern and revolutionary state, but without any influence from the “outside.” Acting policies as removing English education in kindergarden and making Burmese the official language, along with laws that made it illegal to oppose the government politically, and regaining structure, and control over rural areas, were part of their strategies. The government also banned western-style pageants, music/dance competitions and canceled external funding sources. (Aung-Thwin & Aung-Thwin, 2013; D. Miller & Sinanan, 2014) With a policy focusing mainly in the rural areas, and peasants and agriculture, Ne Win realized a bit too late that the country’s economy was in bad shape and that the government was not fit to handle the situation. Already in 1987, Myanmar was given the status; Least Developed Country (LDC) by the UN3. The riots in 1988 put Myanmar back on the map internationally, and the media coverage of the country increased. During this riot, with the triggering cause represented by bickering on a teashop between the owner and a student, extreme methods of violence were conducted, from both sides. It was an all or nothing situation, and some have argued that democracy was not the cause for this rebellion, but a consequence. (Aung-Thwin & Aung-Thwin, p. 258) At the time, the internet was strictly controlled by the government, and too expensive for most to afford, Myanmar became a country without much access to the outside world. The new government, after the rebellions, once more military, was named the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). In a sense, Myanmar now returned to a similar situation as in 1962. SLORC declared martial law, arrested thousands of people, mostly political prisoners and amongst them Daw Suu Kyi, and renamed the country Burma to “Myanmar.” After the riots in 1988 and the creation of SLORC, for the first time in a long time, another 3 https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/least-developed-country-category- myanmar.html 42