1. Old system doomed
The end of theocratic feudal serfdom in Tibet was a historical inevitability, as the system went completely against the progressive trend in China and the rest of the world.
The system trampled on human dignity, infringed upon human rights and impeded development in Tibet, says the white paper titled "Tibet's Path of Development is Driven by an Irresistible Historical Tide", issued by the Information Office of the State Council.
Political and religious powers were combined, with absolute supremacy held by the religious power - a typical manifestation of theocracy.
Before Democratic Reform in 1959, there were 2,676 monasteries and almost 115,000 Buddhist monks and their acolytes in Tibet. Active monks accounted for one quarter of the local male population, a total that far exceeded the proportion of clergy in Medieval Europe, and was highly unusual throughout the world.
Since a large proportion of the population was not engaged in economic activity and reproduction but used as tools of oppression by the religious power, there was an acute shortage of social resources, and demographic growth remained stagnant for a long period.
Under feudal serfdom, there was a rigid hierarchy. The 13-Article Code and the 16-Article Code, which had been practiced for centuries in Tibet, divided people into three classes and nine ranks, enshrining the rigid hierarchy in law.
This backward social structure led to a chasm of wealth in old Tibet. Closed, backward and isolated from modern civilization, it bore no resemblance to the "Shangri-La" fantasy.
2. Sound achivements
Through more than 60 years of development, Tibet has followed a sound path of development.
The path of development is both characteristically Chinese and suited to the prevailing conditions in Tibet.
For the past six decades and more, the financial department of the central government has steadily increased transfer payments for Tibet.
In the period from 1952 to 2013, the central government provided 544.6 billion yuan ($88.69 billion) to Tibet in financial subsidies, accounting for 95 percent of Tibet's total public financial expenditure.
The development path of new Tibet ensures the people are masters of their own fate. Within the framework of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics, Tibet has embarked on a road of modern democracy, and all political rights of the people are fully respected and protected.
In 2013, the Gross Regional Product (GRP) of Tibet reached 80.8 billion yuan, the per-capita net income of farmers and herdsmen was 6,578 yuan and the per-capita disposable income of urban dwellers was 20,023 yuan, according to the white paper.
In 2013, the population of Tibet rose to 3.12 million, with an average life expectancy of 68.2 years, representing a tripling and a doubling of the figures from the early 1950s.
The drive for modernization continues, and Tibet is becoming increasingly open to the outside world.
In 2013, the total value of Tibet's foreign trade reached $3.3 billion, and the region hosted 12.9 million tourists, including 220,000 from overseas.
Tibet has succeeded in preserving the spoken and written Tibetan language, and the outstanding traditional Tibetan culture has been preserved and handed down. Citizens enjoy full freedom of religious belief.
Tibet is developing in a sustainable way, with both the central and regional governments adopting strict measures for environmental protection.
