Free, fair, and competitive elections, full adult suffrage, broad protection of civil liberties (freedom of speech, press and association) and the absence of non-elected “tutelary authorities” that limit governing the power of elected officials. (Bunte, 2017, pp. 6-7) By labeling Burma’s new mode of government a “disciplined democracy,” the military is able to subvert these primary requirements of democracy whenever it is deemed necessary to perpetuate its control. The military maintains an illusion of democracy for the benefit of the international community while continuing to heavily influence how the government operates. Bunte (2017) explains that in order for a democracy to be authentic, civilian control of the armed forces is required. As long as the Tatmadaw continues to prevent the full liberalization of the government, a flourishing democracy will not be realized in Burma, and the status quo will continue to be dominated by the military. 58