DIVIDED BY BRITISH COLONIALISM, UNITED IN FRAGILITY: POSTCOLONIAL STATE-BUILDING IN SRI LANKA AND MYANMAR

Authors : Kartal Batuhan Olkan

Pages : 1066-1091

Doi:10.36543/kauiibfd.2025.039

View : 176 | Download : 246

Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article examines the effects of British colonialism on the state-building processes of Sri Lanka and Myanmar in a comparative way. The aim of the study is to reveal how colonial administrations transformed not only the political institutions of postcolonial states, but also their social identities, cultural structures, and economic relations. The research was conducted using a qualitative research method; the findings obtained from official archive documents, secondary academic sources, and semi-structured interviews as primary data were analysed. The results show that British colonial rule increased dependence in Sri Lanka through infrastructure investments and a plantation economy, while in Myanmar, ‘divide and rule’ policies deepened ethnic divisions. Overall, the legacy of colonialism in both countries has increased the fragility of state institutions, weakened social cohesion, and laid the foundation for political instability in the postcolonial period.
Keywords : İngiliz sömürgeciliği, devlet inşası, postkolonyalizm, Sri Lanka, Myanmar

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL