The Languages of Pyidawtha and the Burmese Approach to Naitonal Development
Abstract
Burma’s first well known welfare plan was entitled Pyidawtha or
Happy Land, and it was launched in 1952. In vernacular terms, the literal meaning
of Pyidawtha is ‘Prosperous Royal Country’. The government’s attempt to
sustain tradition and culture and to instil modern aspirations in its citizens
was reflected in its choice of the word Pyidawtha. The Plan failed and its implications
still overshadow the development framework of Burma. This paper
discusses how the country’s major decisions, including whether or not to join
the Commonwealth, have been influenced by language; how the term and concept
of ‘development’ were conceived; how the Burmese translation was coined
to attract public support; and how the detailed planning was presented to the
masses by the government. The paper also discusses the concerns and anxieties
of the democratic government led by U Nu in introducing Burma’s first
major development plan to a war-torn and bitterly divided country, and why
it eventually failed.