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Journals / Kafkas Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi / 2025 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 32

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

İNGİLİZ SÖMÜRGECİLİĞİ İLE BÖLÜNMÜŞ, KIRILGANLIKTA BİRLEŞMİŞ: SRİ LANKA VE MYANMAR’DA POSTKOLONYAL DEVLET İNŞASI

Kartal Batuhan Olkan0000-0003-4150-3627
Pages
1066–1091
Publication Date
2025-12-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

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.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This article examines the effects of British colonialism on the state-building processes of Sri Lanka and Myanmar in a comparative way.
📊
Key Findings & Data: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.
💡
Conclusion & Impact: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.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:İngiliz sömürgeciliği · devlet inşası · postkolonyalizm

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.

Özet

Bu makalede, İngiliz sömürgeciliğinin Sri Lanka ve Myanmar’ın devlet inşası süreçlerine etkileri karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı, sömürge yönetimlerinin postkolonyal devletlerin yalnızca siyasi kurumlarını değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal kimliklerini, kültürel yapılarını ve ekonomik ilişkilerini nasıl dönüştürdüğünü ortaya koymaktır. Araştırma, nitel araştırma yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilmiş; resmî arşiv belgeleri, ikincil akademik kaynaklar ve birincil veri olarak yarı yapılandırılmış mülakatlardan elde edilen bulgular analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, İngiliz sömürge yönetiminin Sri Lanka’da altyapı yatırımları ve plantasyon ekonomisiyle bağımlılığı artırdığını; Myanmar’da ise ‘böl ve yönet’ politikalarıyla etnik ayrışmaları derinleştirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Genel olarak, her iki ülkede de sömürgecilik mirası, devlet kurumlarının kırılganlığını artırmış, toplumsal uyumu zayıflatmış ve postkolonyal dönemdeki siyasal istikrarsızlıkların temelini oluşturmuştur.

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Cite This Article

Olkan, K. B. (2025). DIVIDED BY BRITISH COLONIALISM, UNITED IN FRAGILITY: POSTCOLONIAL STATE-BUILDING IN SRI LANKA AND MYANMAR. Kafkas Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 32, 1066–1091. https://doi.org/10.36543/kauiibfd.2025.039

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