An Annotated Bibliography of Articles on the Burmese Peasantry from the Journal of the Burma Research Society, 1911-1970

AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ARTICLES ON THE BURMESE PEASANTRY FROM THE JOURNAL OF THE BURMA RESEARCH SOCIETY, 1911-1970 Maria Serena I. Diokno* Peasant life constitutes the major theme of Burmese life and history, as it does throughout Southeast Asia and in other traditionally agrarian societies. To support the study of the guality of life of the Burmese peasantry during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, I have selected and annotated articles from the Journal of the Burma Research Society (JBRS), whose last issue appeared in 1979. The journal is an extremely valuable source of information for students not only of economic history but also of nearly everything else about Burma: its art and archaeology, natural history, religion, dialects and languages, crafts and industry, and, as Mr. May Oung stated in his inaugural address, a whole "list of 'ologies/ ethnology, etymology, entomology" and so on.1 Founded early in the twentieth century, the Burma Research Society embarked on a task of publishing papers by Burmese scholars and British officials who were knowledgeable on Burma; many of the contributors to its journal were also members of the Society. By "patient organised effort" the Society hoped to "publish a catalogue raisonné of books, papers and articles on Burma, which have appeared under different auspices at different times . . . [and] reprint such papers as have still sufficient interest. And we can notice for the benefit of members recent publications."2 This compilation covers fifty articles and twenty-six township records published in the JBRS between 1911 and 1970. The selected articles all shed light on the economic life of the peasantry and have been divided as follows: Part I. Translations of relevant sources or commentaries on the peasantry. Maria Serena I. Diokno is an Associate Professor of History at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. May Oung, Inaugural Address, Fiftieth Anniversary Publications No. 2, Selection of Articles from The Journal of the Burma Research Society (History and Literature), Rangoon, 1960, p. 1. 2 May Oung, p. 3. The Journal ofBurma Studies Volume 5, pp. 49-73© Copyright 2000 by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies Northern Illinois University Maria Serena I. Diokno Partii. Geographie and other background information necessary for understanding peasant life. Part III. Analyses or descriptions of the traditional, colonial, and early modern economy, of which the peasants were an important part. The articles are arranged by theme and date of publication within each section and sub-section. Part I. Translations of Sources and Commentaries This section deals with primary sources on Burmese population, agriculture, land revenue, and trade both prior to and during the colonial period. The first sub-section consists of translated township records; the second, of notes on Burmese sources. A.Township Records 1."Record of the Province of Hanthawaddy in the Year 64," JBRS 6,3 (December 1916): 213-216. 2."Record of Kawliya Township, 1145," JBRS 6,3: 216-217. 3."Record of the Township of Kawliya, 1164," JBRS 6,3: 217-218. 4."Record of Ma U Township, 1164," JBRS 6,3: 218-219. 5."Record of Tandawgyi Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1 (April 1918): 40-41. 6."Record of Paunglin Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 41-42. 7."Record of Zaungto Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 42-43. 8."Record of Tidut Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 43-44. 9."Record of Hmawbi Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 44. 10."Record of Mingaladon Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 44-45. 50 The Journal ofBurma Studies, Volume 5 JBRS Articles on the Burmese Peasantry 11."Record of Mawlon Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 45. 12."Record of Hintha-Zaing-anaing, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 45-46. 13."Record of Meranyinsaya Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 47. 14."Record of Akhayein Township, 1164," JBRS 8,1: 47-48. 15."Record of Rammawadi Township, 64," JBRS 9,1 (April 1919): 33-36. 16."Record of Zwebon Township, 64," JBRS 9,1: 36-37. 17."Record of Sittaung Township, 45," JBRS 9,1: 37-38. 18."Record of Dinme Township, 64," JBRS 9,1: 38. 19."Record of Kyaukmaw Township, 45," JBRS 9,1: 38-39. 20."Record of Kyaukmaw Township, 64," JBRS 9,1: 39-41...