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This book is a sociological critique of colonialism and its successors as applied to Highland Burma. This is a subject which has long-attracted outsiders interested in "developing" the highlands, and integrating them into the capitalist world system. Among those who have tried (and failed) to "govern", in the modern sense, are British colonial powers beginning in the nineteenth century, Japanese militarists, Burmese nationalists and militarists, American CIA agents, Chinese engineers, and United Nations bureaucrats. All have failed to reach their goals for "development." The result is a series of failed political, infrastructure, and economic experiments.

The book distinguishes itself from others by starting with an assumption that the development of Myanmar's highlands is a result of flawed policies by outsiders, rather than the lack of development and governance by the highlanders themselves. Despite the success of such policies in many other countries of Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, Highland Burma remains a place that is ungovernable by international standards. The distinctive questions are two-fold. First, why have the outsiders so persistently promoted policies which seemingly inevitably failed? And second, what does the response of highlanders themselves tell about what James C. Scott calls "The Art of not Being Governed?" Such questions are largely left out of the reams of consultancy reports produced about Myanmar development, politics, governance, and economy during the last 30 years.