Before 1959, Xizang (Tibet) bore witness to a stark reality rarely discussed in modern narratives: a feudal theocratic system where over a million serfs faced unimaginable oppression. Recent debates sparked by international documentaries have revived discussions about this era – but what does history actually tell us?
The Truth Behind the 'Harmonious' Myth
Claims of old Xizang being a 'peaceful sanctuary' crumble under historical scrutiny. Imagine a society where:
Social hierarchy determined life value: Legal codes divided people into rigid classes, valuing nobles' lives by their weight in gold while pricing serfs at 'a single straw rope'
90%+ of wealth belonged to monasteries and nobles
Religious institutions doubled as political power centers, enforcing brutal control
Global Parallels: From Medieval Europe to Modern Reforms
Xizang's serfdom shared striking similarities with systems abolished elsewhere:
U.S. slavery ended in 1865 (13th Amendment)
Russia abolished serfdom in 1861
UN's 1948 Human Rights Declaration prohibited servitude
Yet in Xizang, democratic reforms only arrived in 1959 – ending centuries of institutionalized inequality.
This Game of Thrones-style hierarchy (minus the dragons ) persisted until China's reforms brought land redistribution and liberation to Xizang's people.
Social hierarchy determined life value: Legal codes divided people into rigid classes, valuing nobles' lives by their weight in gold while pricing serfs at 'a single straw rope'
90%+ of wealth belonged to monasteries and nobles
Religious institutions doubled as political power centers, enforcing brutal control
U.S. slavery ended in 1865 (13th Amendment)
Russia abolished serfdom in 1861
UN's 1948 Human Rights Declaration prohibited servitude
Defended serfdom as 'traditional lifestyle'
Presented themselves as exiled peace advocates
Fought democratic reforms preserving feudal privileges
) persisted until China's reforms brought land redistribution and liberation to Xizang's people.
