What is the Tibet Problem?

Introduction

(2) Religious freedom;

(3) Cultural preservation;

(4) Human rights protection;

(5) Environmental problems;

(6) It’s the economy, stupid.

Undoubtedly, they are all very important, but we need to have a priority, a focus. We need to identify the real problem before solving it. So what are the Tibetans really fighting for?

Political Independence

Although the Tibetans might have a right to choose independence, the political reality is undeniable: Tibet is under Chinese rule now. There is a huge political cost for the Chinese government if it lets Tibet become independent. Not only the government, but most Chinese people would not be in favor of such a proposition either. The bottom line for China is that “anything except independence can be discussed.” (Deng Xiaoping’s message to the Dalai Lama)

In response to this message, Dalai Lama had abandoned independence, but only demanded “autonomy” (I’m not sure of its meaning). He also insisted on non-violent, peaceful means, and actively sought negotiation with the Chinese government. However, China set another pre-condition for negotiations that the Dalai Lama could not accept—he had to recognize that Tibet has historically always been a part of China.

History and morality almost always subject to interpretation and perception, and they are not really helpful in reaching a realistic solution. As Dalai Lama has become practical in abandoning the “moral” issue of independence, China should put away the “history” issue as well. And then dialogues and negotiations could begin.

It’s the Economy, Stupid

Once the issue of political independence is solved, the most urgent problem seems to be the economy.

Most people agree that under the Chinese rule, Tibetans’ living standards have been greatly improved. However, as Tibet becomes more prosperous, Tibetans did not benefit as much as the Han Chinese people. There is a stark economic inequality between the Han and the Tibetans.

Theories on Economic Inequality

Some scholars and reporters suggested a conspiracy theory for the disparity: Chinese government deliberately tried to benefit the Han Chinese solely, systematically excluding the Tibetans from the newly created wealth. However, the theory is based only on observance, and all that is observed is the effect. Those authors do not have sufficient evidence to point to a cause.

In fact, many other factors can help explain the situation:

(1) Culture: Perhaps the Tibetans do not want to participate in economic activities as much as the Han people do. They might be more interested in religious activities, spiritual well being, and moral construction, instead of pursuing material wealth.

(2) Education and skill: most Tibetans had a lower level of education than most Han people. Many Tibetans do not speak or write Chinese or other languages, thus unable to compete with them.

(3) History: Han people were already familiar with business settings and rules before they went to Tibet. They knew what could make money and how to make money. The Tibetans had very little exposure and experience in that field, and they could not be as successful as the Han people.

Many people perceive Tibetans as a special minority group who is the victim of the Chinese rule. However, the economic problems that the Tibetans have are not unique to them, but common to many Han people as well. Inequality is seen everywhere in China, between urban and rural areas, between the south and north, the east and west. It is doubtful that this result is what the government intended. There are pre-conditions that made some people better off than others.

Solution

Whatever the reasons is, I think the government could certainly do more to correct the economic inequality problem in Tibet.

(1) Education: in fact, the government has already been doing so. Not only the Tibetans enjoy free public education, but if the children go to school, the parents are paid a small amount by the government as compensation to the children’s work at home. Also, a Tibetan, as well as all other minorities, would automatically get ten more points in college admission. However, the government needs to do more. Tibet needs more schools and good teachers. Due to transportation difficulty and economic reality (parents need children to help out at home and in the field), it is probably still a luxury for the majority of Tibetans who do not live in Lhasa to get educated.

(2) Transportation and infrastructure: it is essential economic growth and the government should invest more in this area.

(3) Business favors: Right now the Han people and the Tibetans face the same regulations. The policies are mostly “face-neutral.” But that’s not good enough for the Tibetans. The government should design some measure to favor them. For example, the government could reserve a certain percentage of business to the Tibetans, grant Tibetans loans on a more favorable condition, relax some regulations for them, etc.

Other Problems

All the others problems listed in the introduction, including religious freedom, cultural preservation, human rights protection and environmental problems are not unique to Tibetans, but they are common problems to all Chinese people. Moreoever, cultural preservation and pollutions are probably concerns for many developing countries right now. The Tibetans are certainly not alone. It is arguably a global problem: how do we preserve our culture and identity when facing the massive globalization?

Conclusion

The Tibet Problem is probably not so much about “freedom” or “independence”, but the economy. Therefore, the many “Free Tibet” campaigns in the West which aim for its independence probably would not do much good. Instead, a more rational and effective approach would be to ask the Chinese government to put aside the “history” argument, to negotiate with the Dalai Lama, to listen to the Tibetans, and to deliver more economic benefits to them.