Economic Consequences of Political Instability in ASEAN: Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review on Myanmar’s Post-Coup Period
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52300/grow.v11i2.24654Keywords:
ASEAN, economic crisis, Myanmar, political instability, systematic literature reviewAbstract
This systematic literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed research to analyze the economic consequences of political instability in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup and examines the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s role in mitigating regional impacts. Employing the PRISMA 2020 framework, the study systematically identifies and evaluates relevant literature from Scopus-indexed journals and reports from key international institutions published between 2021 and 2025. The findings reveal that the coup triggered severe macroeconomic disruption, including sharp GDP contraction, inflation, and currency depreciation. It significantly disrupted trade flows and foreign direct investment, with notable spillover effects across ASEAN's integrated production networks due to supply chain interruptions and heightened political risk. The review further identifies a critical gap in ASEAN's response, highlighting that while the bloc has engaged diplomatically and provided humanitarian aid, its economic stabilization mechanisms—such as those under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)—remain underutilized. Institutional constraints rooted in consensus-based decision-making and the principle of non-interference limit decisive economic intervention. The study concludes that political instability in Myanmar represents a structural economic shock with regional ramifications, underscoring the urgent need for ASEAN to strengthen its economic governance frameworks and develop proactive, coordinated crisis management instruments to enhance regional resilience and support sustainable recovery in politically fragile member states.
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