What if the British never Colonised Burma?

Cultivation Emperor

What if Britain never colonized Myanmar and it remained independent like Thailand? What if in this scenario, the Konbaung Dynasty survived and modernized Myanmar with British help instead? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konbaung_dynasty
In this scenario, the Myanmar is transformed into the ''Empire of Myanmar'' as a parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy or as a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a modernised military. The monarch in this Myanmar is called the Emperor of Myanmar and is expected to be a pious Buddhist and Burmese nationalist to uphold the territorial integrity and unity of the People of Myanmar.
How would history, politics, economic development, social dynamics, international relations, etc be affected?
 
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SealTheRealDeal

SealTheRealDeal

How is the monarch demonstrating their piety? To my understanding the typical way was giving the monks lots of autonomy and tribute, as well as their own revenue sources, which tended to weaken state authority and deplete the state coffers allowing for a rival dynasty to rise up, take over, and begins the cycle again in an effort to gain legitimacy.
 
Hrvatskiwi

Hrvatskiwi

It seems really difficult (although I'm sure not completely impossible) given that Britain actively conspired to take over Burma. Although I dont know a lot about it. The Burmese might be forced to fully capitulate to protectorate status.
 

Lalli

Not really sure if non-colonised Burma is likely. But if it is not or at least monarchy is not ousted, probably it looks pretty similar as OTL Thailand.
 

Cultivation Emperor

SealTheRealDeal said:
How is the monarch demonstrating their piety? To my understanding the typical way was giving the monks lots of autonomy and tribute, as well as their own revenue sources, which tended to weaken state authority and deplete the state coffers allowing for a rival dynasty to rise up, take over, and begins the cycle again in an effort to gain legitimacy.
Click to expand...
To my understanding, that's basically how it worked as well. I think the monarch would do this by building new Buddhist temples, restoring old and dilapidated temples and then also by promoting Buddhist teachings to reinforce their legitimacy. But ultimately what could solidify the rule of the Konbaung monarchs in this alternate scenario would be by using Buddhist Nationalism to unify Myanmar though that would come at the cost of religious Minorities especially Muslims.
 

Vinization

For starters this is a topic that is best discussed in Before 1900, so I recommend calling a mod (or reporting your own post) to move it there.

Second, Burma was a powerful, expansionist state prior to its defeat at the hands of the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War. Though the war's outcome signaled the beginning of the end of the Konbaung dynasty thanks to the terms of the Treaty of Yandabo, it also took a heavy toll on the British East India Company, which was brought to the brink of bankruptcy. It shouldn't, therefore, be a stretch for the war to end in a way in which the Burmese either pay a small indemnity (or none at all) while keeping control of Arakan and Tenasserim because the British are unable to force them to accept harsher terms.

With the Burmese economy not crippled, king Bagyidaw (who won't be overthrown ITTL since he doesn't become a recluse) and his successors can spend the next few years modernizing their country's infrastructure, bureaucracy and the military. The war with the British would be a wake up call, rather than the death blow it was IOTL.
 
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