Opportunity Cost of War

ISP is conducingt a research project, titled “Why Should We Care about Peace?: An Analysis of Opportunity Costs in Myanmar’s Civil War”. According a national survey conducted and released by the People’s Alliance for Credible Elections in July 2019, only 3 percent of respondents said that things are going in the wrong direction because of “No Peace”. Even if we include another 7 percent of respondents who cited “Increased Conflict” as a reason for the country’s wrong direction, peace and conflict only matter for 10 percent of the respondents. This proposed research will measure the costs of civil war, which encompass not only the direct short-term effects on human loss, infrastructure, investment and the economy, but also the long-term indirect effects on public health and education. By identifying and measuring the costs of civil war in Myanmar, the research can help the public to appreciate the structural connection between “No Peace” and the other key factors (including “Bad Infrastructure”, “Bad Education”, “Bad Healthcare”, and “No Rule of Law”), which represent reasons that the majority of respondents overwhelming attribute to the country’s wrong direction. Researching findings will be used in our elite-level policy consultations, capacity trainings and TV Talk Shows to promote peace campaigns.