Chapter VIII Conclusion The Tatmadaw has a long history of continued manipulation of the Burmese population in order to maintain its dominance and control over all sectors of the country’s functioning. The clever use of legal guidelines, including Burma’s current Constitution, has allowed the military to remain legally in control despite Tatmadaw assertions that recent years have brought a transition from totalitarianism to democracy. However, it is clear from this in-depth analysis of the current political and social climate in Burma that the primary force behind many of the military’s operations in recent years has been economic ambition leading to personal benefit. While it is clear that the military has maximized its opportunity to use religion and ethnicity to garner support from the Burmese public, the economic longevity of the Tatmadaw and financial security of top generals are viewed as critically important. Religion and ethnicity have long been political categories used by those in power to reach political or economic goals, and Burma is no exception. In casting Buddhism—and to a certain extent the Bamar/Burman race—as the rightful owners of the country, the military created a situation in which it was able to actively violate the human rights of those living in various border regions with little or no domestic backlash. This has enabled the perpetuation of military control a relatively easy feat. On the international level, the military has also avoided much scrutiny—except in recent years relative to the Rakhine state crisis. By implementing the bare minimum in