自1959年实行民主改革和1965年实行民族区域自治制度以来，西藏不仅建立起全新的社会主义制度，而且实现了经济社会发展的历史性跨越。西藏成功地走上了与全国各族人民共同团结奋斗、共同平等发展、共同繁荣进步的光明大道。藏民族作为中华民族大家庭的一员，实现了平等参与管理国家事务的权利，成为管理西藏地方社会事务、主宰自己命运的主人，成为西藏社会物质财富、精神财富的创造者和享有者。

　　虽然西藏自治区从成立至今只有50年，但带来了翻天覆地的巨大变化。今日的西藏，是其历史上最为辉煌的时期。

一、旧西藏的黑暗与落后

Since the democratic reform was carried out in 1959 and regional ethnic autonomy came into practice in 1965, Tibet has established the new socialist system and achieved historic leaps and bounds in its economic and social development. Tibet has taken a road that unites it with all China's ethnic groups and struggles to develop equally, achieve prosperity, and make progress with them. As part of the Chinese nation, the Tibetan people fulfill the right to participate equally in the management of state affairs; they are thus managers of local social affairs and masters of their own destiny, creating and sharing the material and spiritual wealth of Tibet.

Although it has been only 50 years since the founding of Tibet Autonomous Region, great changes have taken place. Tibet is now in its golden age.

I. Old Tibet: Dark and Backward

　　直至20世纪50年代，西藏社会依然处于政教合一的封建农奴制统治之下。这种存在了几百年的黑暗制度，扼杀人权，摧残人性，是人类社会最为落后的制度。在这种制度下，人民既无民主权利，也无经济、社会、文化权利，各项基本人权根本得不到保障。旧西藏与现代文明的距离，十分遥远。

　　在封建农奴制度统治之下，农奴遭受残酷的政治压迫，没有任何人身自由，丧失了基本人权。

　　旧西藏实行以《十六法典》《十三法典》为代表的法律，对广大农奴实行野蛮压迫。这些《法典》将人分成“三等九级”，大贵族、大活佛和高级官员被认为是天生高贵的人，处于最上等地位，而广大农奴则被划为下等人。命价也有高低不同，上等人“命价为与尸体等重的黄金”，屠夫、铁匠等下等下级的人，“命价仅值一根草绳”。不同等级的人触犯同一刑律，量刑标准和处置方法也不相同。仆人使主人受伤的，要砍掉仆人的手或脚；主人打伤仆人，则不付给任何赔偿费。农奴主和农奴在法律上的地位极其不平等，农奴主拥有对农奴和奴隶的生杀予夺权，他们用剜目、割肉、割舌、断手、剁脚、抽筋、戴铐等野蛮刑罚，来维护对农奴和奴隶的统治。

Even in the 1950s, Tibet was still a society ruled by feudal serfdom under theocracy. Having existed for several centuries, this wretched system stifled human rights and destroyed human qualities. It was thus the most backward mode of human society under which the people had no democratic, economic, social, or cultural rights, and their basic human rights were not protected. Old Tibet was a far cry from modern civilization.

Under feudal serfdom, serfs suffered cruel political oppression and had no personal freedom or fundamental rights.

Old Tibet implemented laws, as represented by the "16-Article Code" and "13-Article Code," that oppressed serfs. These laws divided people into three classes and nine ranks, whereby nobles, Living Buddhas and senior officials were born into and thus constituted the upper class, while the broad masses of serfs constituted the lower class. Value accorded to life correspondingly differed. The value of the life of a person of the upper class was measured in gold according to his weight. The value of the lives of butchers, blacksmiths, and others of the lowest rank of the lower class was equivalent to hempen rope. When people of different classes and ranks violated the same criminal law, the criteria in old Tibet for imposing penalties and the means of punishment were quite different. The laws stipulated that the punishment for a servant who injured his master was to have his hands or feet chopped off, but a master who injured a servant was not required to pay compensation. Serf owners and serfs had overtly unequal standing according to law. Serf owners held absolute power over the lives of serfs and slaves, and ensured their rule over the latter through savage punishments, including gouging out eyes, cutting out flesh or tongues, cutting off hands or feet, pulling out tendons, and being put in manacles.