Pre-colonial Origins of Colonial State Formation: Evidence from British Burma
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) Htet Thiha Zaw, University of Michigan
Version: View help for Version V1
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Project Citation:
Zaw, Htet Thiha. Pre-colonial Origins of Colonial State Formation: Evidence from British Burma. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2020-12-19. https://doi.org/10.3886/E129281V1
Project Description
Summary:
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How does pre-colonial history influence coercion under the colonial state? This article argues that a history of state consolidation before colonization shapes colonial investments in physical coercion. Earlier co-option of village leader by the pre-colonial state increased state control over society, thereby reducing the later need for coercion by the colonial state. To test this theory, the article uses an original data created from Konbaung Kingdom land revenue inquests in 1784, preceding the establishment of British Burma by a century; this also puts the article among first of the kind that uses administrative data collected by the pre-colonial state. Combined with data from colonial gazetteers, the evidence shows that pre-colonial replacement of local village headmen with king-approved appointees, either due to hereditary line extinction or local rebellion, negatively correlates with colonial civil and military police presence. This correlation is robust to different identification strategies, alternative explanations, and adjustments for potential spatial correlation. Further evidence shows that colonial coercion also influences the patterns of violent civil conflicts after independence.
How does pre-colonial history influence coercion under the colonial state? This article argues that a history of state consolidation before colonization shapes colonial investments in physical coercion. Earlier co-option of village leader by the pre-colonial state increased state control over society, thereby reducing the later need for coercion by the colonial state. To test this theory, the article uses an original data created from Konbaung Kingdom land revenue inquests in 1784, preceding the establishment of British Burma by a century; this also puts the article among first of the kind that uses administrative data collected by the pre-colonial state. Combined with data from colonial gazetteers, the evidence shows that pre-colonial replacement of local village headmen with king-approved appointees, either due to hereditary line extinction or local rebellion, negatively correlates with colonial civil and military police presence. This correlation is robust to different identification strategies, alternative explanations, and adjustments for potential spatial correlation. Further evidence shows that colonial coercion also influences the patterns of violent civil conflicts after independence.
Scope of Project
Subject Terms:
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pre-colonial history;
legacies of conflict;
state building;
myanmar
Geographic Coverage:
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Myanmar
Time Period(s):
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1/1/1948 – 12/31/1996
Universe:
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Conflict events
Data Type(s):
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geographic information system (GIS) data;
observational data
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