Tibet's path to democracy

Freedom from feudal autocracy means everyone in the region enjoys equal rights and shares self-governance

The peaceful liberation of Tibet 60 years ago marked a historic turning point as it ended the millenniums-long feudal autocracy and opened the door to a new epoch for the region.

Until its peaceful emancipation in 1951, Tibet was a typical feudal hierarchical society in which people were divided by its 13-Article and 16-Article codes into three classes and nine ranks. The two statutes stipulated that different people enjoyed a different status.