Why do generals give up their political power? What factors determine their place under the new regime? What challenges do democracy advocates face in the wake of military rule? Following a discussion of these general questions, Zoltan Barany, Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Centennial Professor in the government department at the University of Texas, Austin, will turn to Burma/Myanmar and its unique experience with military rule, which in turn, helps explain the struggles – political, economic, ethno-religious – the country has faced in its transition efforts toward democracy.