Saffron Revolution

Quick Facts: Who was Saffron Revolution?

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Saffron Revolution

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A series of nonviolent protests in Myanmar (2007) against economic hardship and military rule.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Saffron Revolution (Burmese: ရွှေဝါရောင်တော်လှန်ရေး, romanized: Shwaywarraung Tawlhaanrayy; [sw̥èi wà jàʊɰ̃ tɔ̀ l̥àɰ̃ jéi]) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September and October 2007 in Myanmar. The protests were triggered by the decision of the national military government to remove subsidies on the sales prices of fuel. The national government is the only supplier of fuels and the removal of the price subsidy immediately caused diesel and petrol prices to increase by 66–100% and the price of compressed natural gas for buses to increase 500% in less than a week. The various protests were led by students, political activists, including women, and Buddhist monks and took the form of a campaign of nonviolent resistance, sometimes also called civil resistance. In response to the protests, dozens of protesters were arrested or detained.

Career & Major Achievements

Starting in September 2007 the protests were led by thousands of Buddhist monks, and those protests were allowed to proceed until a renewed government crackdown in late September 2007. Some news reports referred to the protests as the Saffron Revolution. The exact number of casualties from the 2007 protests is not known, but estimates range from 13 to 31 deaths resulting from either the protests or reprisals by the government. Several hundred people were arrested or detained, many (but not all) of whom were released. In the event, Senior General Than Shwe remained in power until he retired in 2011 at age 78.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The phrase "Saffron Revolution" connects the protests against Myanmar's military dictatorship to the saffron-coloured robes widely associated with Buddhist monks, who were at the forefront of the demonstrations. The robes of Burmese monks are similar to the color of whole saffron. While similar terms for protests had been used elsewhere for the process of gradual or peaceful revolution in other nations (see colour revolution), this seems to be the first time it has been associated with a particular protest as it was unfolding, and the international press seized upon the term in reporting on the Burmese protests. However, the idea that the monkhood is connected to specifically Burmese ideas about revolution has been argued by British academic Gustaaf Houtman, partly in critique of an alternative view held by a political scientist, that Gen. Ne Win's 1962 revolution was the only successful revolution in Burma. Burmese concepts of "revolution", however, have a much longer history and are also employed in many but not all monastic ordinations.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1962: 1962 Milestone — Ne Win's 1962 revolution was the only successful revolution in Burma.
2. 2007: 2007 Milestone — The Saffron Revolution (Burmese: ရွှေဝါရောင်တော်လှန်ရေး, romanized: Shwaywarraung Tawlhaanrayy; [sw̥èi wà jàʊɰ̃ tɔ̀ l̥àɰ̃ jéi]) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September and October 2007 in Myanmar.
3. 2011: 2011 Milestone — In the event, Senior General Than Shwe remained in power until he retired in 2011 at age 78.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Saffron Revolution

True or False: “The Saffron Revolution was solely triggered by the desire to overthrow the entire ruling structure of Myanmar.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While political aims were present, the immediate trigger for the 2007 protests was the national military government's decision to remove subsidies on fuel sales.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Oerter — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Four-time Olympic champion in the discus throw, pioneering athletic consistency.
• Albert Ellis — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Al Davis — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
• Alan Rubin — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): American musician known for playing trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet.
• A. K. Fazlul Huq — Historical peer (Died in 1962) (1962): Pakistani statesman and jurist, known as Sher-e-Bangla, a founding father of Pakistan.
• Abdullah II of Jordan — Historical peer (Born in 1962) (1962): King of Jordan, a Hashemite monarch who assumed the throne in 1999.

Frequently Asked Questions about Saffron Revolution