Tibetan Nation

This detailed history offers the most comprehensive account available of Tibetan nationalism, Sino-Tibetan relations, and the issue of Tibetan self-determination. Warren Smith explores Tibet's ethnic and national origins, the birth of the Tibetan state, the Buddhist state and its relations with China, Tibet's quest for independence, and the Chinese takeover of Tibet after 1950. Focusing especially on post-1950 Tibet under Chinese Communist rule, Smith analyzes Marxist-Leninist and Chinese Communist Party nationalities theory and policy, their application in Tibet, and the consequent rise of Tibetan nationalism. Concluding that the essence of the Tibetan issue is self-determination, Smith bolsters his argument with a comprehensive analysis of modern Tibetan and Chinese political histories.

This detailed history offers the most comprehensive account available of Tibetan nationalism, Sino-Tibetan relations, and the issue of Tibetan self-determination. Warren Smith explores Tibet`s ethnic and national origins, the birth of the Tibetan state, the Buddhist state and its relations with China, Tibet`s quest for independence, and the Chinese takeover of Tibet after 1950.

The history of Tibet has long intrigued the world, and so has the dilemma of its future—will it ever return to independence or will it always remain part of China? How will the succession of the aging and revered Dalai Lama affect Tibet and the world? This book makes the case for a fully Tibetan independent state for much of its 2,500-year existence, but its story is a complex one. A great empire from the seventh to ninth centuries, in 1249, Tibet was incorporated as a territory of the Mongol Empire—which annexed China itself in 1279. Tibet reclaimed its independence from China in 1368, and although the Manchus later exerted their direct influence in Tibetan affairs, by 1840 Tibet began to resume its independent course until communist China invaded in 1950. And since that time, Tibetan nationalism has been maintained primarily by over 100,000 refugees living abroad. This book is a valuable, fascinating account of a region with a rich history, but an uncertain future.

In October 1950, within days of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Mao achieved an exceptional feat that no ruler of Dynastic China had ever accomplished before - the annexation of Tibet. The achievement was unique in that Tibet, with a territorial expanse four and a half times the size of France, a cultural heritage as old as that of any ancient civilization of the world, and seat of one of largest religions of the world, was forcibly occupied without any intervention by nations who claimed to be champions of liberty, freedom, human rights, and equality. Amazingly, the nation whose national security was directly affected by the act, not only remained oblivious, but played an active role in the demise of Tibet. It was a tragedy that was to torment India forever. This book offers a stirring account of the secret history of Tibet from its earliest settlement, its Golden Age, its heroes, its wars, its politics and intrigues, its transition into one of the most peaceful and spiritual nations in the world and finally, the death blow to its independence. The transmission of Buddhism, mainly by Indian Buddhist intellectuals in Tibet, resulted in converting Tibetan warriors, who by their valour and grit established one of the largest empires in Central Asia, into pacifists. The tragedy was waiting to occur…

Tibet exerts a powerful fascination far beyond its borders; remoteness and the deeply pervasive character ot Tibetan Buddhism have provided the setting for countless works of romace adventure and fantasy. Resistance and Reform in Tibet reveals the emergence of a distinctive, modern Tibetan society and the sophistication, creativity and resourcefulness of its people`s responses to Chinese domination. Tibet today is neither a socialist idyll nor a regimented gulag but a rich mixture of traditonal and innovative strategies in an ancient nation`s struggle for survival.

This book explores China's efforts to assimilate Tibet, in the process rewriting Tibetan history to conform to Beijing's goals. Warren Smith provides the historical context for understanding the current situation through an overview of China's actual -- as opposed to its promised -- policies toward Tibet over time. His appraisal of Chinese policy shows that the PRC's ultimate intention is assimilation rather than autonomy. The author argues that Beijing fears that any genuine autonomy or dialogue withthe Dalai Lama will fuel renewed nationalistm in "China's Tibet." as the Chinese leadership calls its possession. This book highlights China's past and current propaganda on Tibet to demonstrate China's sensitivity and defensiveness regarding the legitimacy of its rule. Smith shows how China has tried to use Sino-Tibetan dialogue to defuse Tibetan exile and international criticism, while making no concessions in regard to Tibetan autonomy. In the absence of any solution, Smith advocates the promotion of Tibet's right to self-determination as the most viable strategy for sustaining international attention and maintaining the most essential elements of Tibetan national identity.

This book, the first scholarly publication in the West to provide detailed documentation of modern life in contemporary Tibet, presents the cutting-edge field work carried out by an interdisciplinary group of researchers studying caste, pop music, media, painting, education, economics, childbirth and environment in Tibetan communities today.