Leaders of any country can, by using the belief in the supernatural or even perennially invoking the memory of its past history, say, as a subjugated entity, justify whatever excesses it might wish to commit towards its citizens whenever it suits them. Perhaps, in the case of Myanmar, its less than favourable experience of colonialism left a bitter taste that has continued to linger on till today. (Orwell's famous novel, Burmese Days, is a damning indictment of the unsavoury side of British imperialism which we all know he wrote after his eye-opening stint in Burma as a policeman.) But in the global community of today, little benefit would accrue to any nation that persists in holding xenophobic and parochial views or withdraws into a kind of self-imposed insularity, as it needs to engage with the outside world in order to progress.

SD Goh, PJ, Malaysia

When the generals are so high, out of touch from the ground, they will fall so hard to the ground. I pray for them that they come down before it is too late and exit with some dignity.

khin, yangon,

Let's get this straight: the Burmese junta move capital on a specific time on a specific day because they believe that the stars told them to, and they are (rightly) derided as a bit mad. The collossal amount of money wasted on this pointless venture could have aided the people of Burma, thus helping to strengthen the economy.

George Bush Jr invades Iraq and makes numerous other decisions because he believes (along with a worrying number of his government) that God told him to, and this is all perfectly legitimate?

We have some pretty strange criteria for deciding who's mad and who isn't!

Carl, Aylesbury, Bucks, UK

Well written article!

"the more authoritarian the regime, the more likely it is to seek explanations and omens in the stars."

However, you forgot to add that these regimes are more barbarian/brutal in suppressing any opposition - real or perceived. Communist Russia, Cambodia and some more communist nations and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and many ME tin-pot dictators are typical examples. Also many rulers highly corrupt and exploit the general public under different garbs/external threats. As an example, Pakistan military dictators’ oxygen is Kashmir, while they systematically loot the nation! Due to the very tight control on media, most of the crimes of the rulers don’t come/filter out. So the crimes go on unhindered and uninterrupted!

Burma's rulers are no different. However, due to the passive nature of Buddhists, these military juntas survive longer!
Regards,

Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India

While the general point Ben makes may stand, it is hardly valid to point to those rulers of pre-19th century history we now consider to be either despotic or close to tyrannical AND, in our eyes, superstitious. After all, they lived in superstitious times and their beliefs were not confined to the ruling classes. Neither is it fair, by the examples given, to suggest that such superstition (and, moreover, tyrannical rule) was confined to the continent: Elizabeth I famously had her own court necromancer in John Dee. Keep your precedents post 19th century here.

Madeleine Brook, Oxford, UK

Thanks Hannah, but this doesn't change how the sentence feels and reads as since we're defining cosmology on such a general level the christian beliefs of Bishops in the House of Lords then become equivalent to the Burmese officials as does the scientific field of study known as cosmology. If it was stated as occult cosmologies or arcane metaphysical cosmologies or even just cosmologies that would be different and draw a distinction between the better known usage of the word and the intended usage, important in a popular newspaper.

Philip Stobbart, London,

I am at present in Russia and I can not find any mention of the trouble in Burma in the media here .I have been following the stories on the internet.Can someone explain why Russia is keeping it from their citizens?

dan hughes, wonthaggi , victoria Australia

What have the Burmese generals done that America's Blackwater paid killers have not?

Or for that matter, Israel?

JOHN CHUCKMAN, TORONTO, Canada

Belief in astrology and superstition is no more strange than the belief in some omnipotent sky fairy, it's just that one is viewed as superstition whilst the other is deemed religion.

They are both based on "adhering to a medieval code of prophecies, astral omens and superstitious symbolism".

What we have in Burma is a group of nafarious individuals desperate to hold onto power, whether they follow the zodiac or the flying spaghetti monster has little bearing or relevance.

Let us all hope that this is resolved with as little bloodshed as possible for all concerned.

Stewart, Preston, UK

Peculiar? indeed! In fact not only old dictators are superstitious, modern democratically elected leaders as well. Remember Tony Blair once feng-shuied his office? I was just wondering if Gorden Brown has done anything similar???

C, London,

Yes, well, God/Fate/Destiny/The Stars are on the side of the big battalions.

Black cats or not, old Boney got that one right. (Or Voltaire/Fred the Great etc)

If the Burmese and Chinese army continue to back the junta, it will continue until they run out of ammo. Or another anti-junta army starts/arrives (etc etc)

jane scott, London, UK

FYI Philip Stobbart

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
cosmology [(koz-mol-uh-jee)]


A system of beliefs that seeks to describe or explain the origin and structure of the universe. A cosmology attempts to establish an ordered, harmonious framework that integrates time, space, the planets, stars, and other celestial phenomena. In so-called primitive societies, cosmologies help explain the relationship of human beings to the rest of the universe and are therefore closely tied to religious beliefs and practices. In modern industrial societies, cosmologies seek to explain the universe through astronomy and mathematics. Metaphysics also plays a part in the formation of cosmologies.

Hannah, London,

"Burma’s intensely superstitious rulers have long been guided by a belief in portents and prophecies, cosmology, numerology and magic."

Cosmology? I'm not aware of a heavy Burmese presence in the search for dark matter and the study of the evolution and large scale structure of the universe...

Philip Stobbart, London,

It tends to support the notion that amorality and ignorance are linked with superstition, astrology. These people are living in darkness instead of light.

John, Timbuctu, Mauritania

Napoléon Bonaparte dish of Chicken and Crayfish is called Chicken Marengo is so named for being the dish that he ate after his victory at the Battle of Marengo (1800). No point changing the winning habit! Though not sure what he ate before Waterloo.

Marc, Zywiec , Poland

Ben, a marvellous write-up . It is packed with loads of trivia and informations about our human psyche and underlying belief in astrology and other ESPs,clairvoyant and occult practices. No matter how powerful we are, be a despot , a tyrant ,a powerful honcho, a business magnate or some Mafia Don, our inner psyche and consciousness stays connected to beliefs, dogmas and superstitiousness. Adding a new flapper to the names of world's who's who and illuminaries you have mentioned,Mrs. Indira Gandhi ,the former Prime Minister of Indian sub continent. She was considered the iron lady during her days of regime,an equivalent contemporary of Thatcher and Goldameir.She was stern to the core and strong headed. But under her steely facade lay a mind fickle enough to fixate with beliefs in auspicious times, astrology and soothsayership.She was a devout follower of many such Gurus and Yogis, and would consult them before embarking on some critical mission. We, humans are vulnerable to "unknown"??

witty, New Delhi, India

Long-time followers of this situation will remember how General Ne Win's pledge to introduce civilian government was met - by changing the uniforms of his military crony rulers for business suits.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK