U.S. Business in Burma: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

Burma is modernizing at a ceaseless pace. An enigma to foreigners for most of the latter half of the 20th century, Burma’s rapidly expanding economy is quickly opening its doors to multinational investors. Like their counterparts around the globe, Burmese youth may now quench their thirst with a bottle of Coca Cola, or pose for a selfie with their I-phones next to a Colonel Sanders wax statue at Yangon’s KFC. Workers and consumers alike express continued enthusiasm about the influx of foreign investment. But foreign investment also raises the omnipresent specter of exploitation and complicity in ongoing human rights violations. The U.S government has taken, and should continue to take steps to minimize this risk.

The political changes that predated the influx of foreign investment have been stunning. Freedom of association was made legal in 2012 and severe limitations on freedom of speech have been greatly eased. 2015 also marked the first free uncontested elections in the country in over 50 years, resulting in the sweeping victory of Aung-San Su Kyi’s NLD opposition party. These changes have led the U.S government significantly scale back its economic sanctions regime against Burma in 2012. This move has made Burma’s rapidly growing economy even more appealing to American companies. (Courtesy of huffingtonpost.com)