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The feudal serfdom in old Tibet seriously handicapped the development
of the social productive forces. The economy in Tibet was in a state
of extreme backwardness for a long time. Wooden ploughs were the
basic tools for agricultural production and yaks were employed for
threshing. Slash and burn cultivation and the burning of grass to
fertilize land were still customs retained in a few localities.
In 1952, each mu of land (15 mu equal to 1 hectare) could only produce
80 kg of grain on the average and the per-capita share of grain
came to 125 kg. Livestock breeding hinged on climatic conditions
and frequent natural calamities often caused the deaths of large
numbers of animals. In 1952, the region had only 9.74 million head
of livestock. The handicrafts industry was also extremely backward
and modern industry was nonexistent in old Tibet. Dangerous and
difficult roads made it hard to travel in the region. The transport
of goods and the delivery of mail had to depend on human and animal
power. There were no bridges on the Yarlung Zangbo River that dissects
Tibet, except for a few chain constructions left over from the Ming
Dynasty. Since there were no highways in Tibet, the car given to
the Dalai Lama by the British had to be dismantled and carried to
Lhasa by draught animals. Tibet was also backward in regard to sources
of energy. In 1950, on the eve of Tibet's peaceful liberation, there
was only one 125-kw hydropower station in the region, which supplied
electricity only intermittently. The backward economy and the cruel
exploitation by the serf-owners kept the people in dire poverty
and misery. As far as Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, was concerned,
there were only 20,000 residents in the city proper before the Democratic
Reform in 1959, and close to 1,000 tattered tents thrown together
for the poor and beggars could be seen on the outskirts of the city.
Prison authorities offered no food to the convicts, and "prisoners"
in handcuffs and wooden cangues begged in the streets. And the pathetic
remains of those homeless people who died of frost and hunger could
be spotted anywhere in the city.
The Democratic Reform has greatly fired the enthusiasm of farmers
and herdsmen for production. In the past four decades, particularly
since the reform and opening up of the last ten years and more,
earth-shaking changes have taken place in Tibet. With the support
of the central government and people throughout the country, the
Tibetan people have developed production, alleviated poverty and
built up family fortunes.
The development of agriculture and animal husbandry has been given
top priority in the Tibetan economy. During the early stage of the
Democratic Reform, the central government and the Tibetan local
government formulated a series of policies and principles for the
development of agriculture and animal husbandry which were compatible
with the local conditions. Financial and material support was also
provided. As a result, Tibet's production levels of agriculture
and animal husbandry increased greatly. Total grain output rose
from 180 million kg in 1959 to 315 million kg in 1966, registering
an average growth rate of 8.3 percent a year. Cattle soared from
9.556 million head in 1959 to 18.175 million head, a rise of 90.2
percent. The living standards of the people took the first step
towards improvement.
Since 1980, the government has imposed no levies on farmers and
herdsmen, with both agricultural and livestock taxes exempted. In
1984, in addition to continuing the practice of interest exemption
for agricultural and livestock loans, the government annulled repayment
of pre-1980 collective loans used for the building of water conservancy
projects and purchasing machinery for agriculture and animal husbandry.
Agricultural and pastoral areas have introduced various forms of
contracted production responsibility systems on a household basis,
developed household sideline occupations, restored open markets
and conducted large-scale capital construction of farmland and grassland.
Before the liberation of Tibet, there was no farm machinery or chemical
fertilizer in Tibet. Nowadays, farming households own tractors.
Scientific farming and breeding of cattle has become highly valued
and welcomed. Introduction of modern tools for production and the
application of science and technology have boosted overall production.
In 1991, the total output value of agriculture reached 2.046 billion
yuan in Tibet, 4.4 times higher than in 1952. Grain output came
to 580 million kg and the average per-mu yield was 224 kg, showing
rises of 3.7 times and 2.8 times respectively over 1952. Although
the 1991 population of Tibet was almost double that in 1952, the
per-capita share of grain in 1991 came to 290.5 kg, or an increase
of 2.2 times that of 1952. The output of animal by-products rose
by a substantial margin. In 1991, the total meat output stood at
91,000 tons and the total output of milk reached 177,000 tons.
Modern industry started after the Democratic Reform of Tibet. In
1965, 80 industrial enterprises were established in Tibet. Employing
close to 10,000 workers, they covered the building, power, motor
vehicle repair, lumber, tanning, borax and coal industries. The
total industrial output value reached 28.83 million yuan that year.
The government has paid close attention to the development of the
national handicrafts. In 1965, it had widened to encompass 33 trades
and its total annual output value rose from 1.24 million yuan before
the Democratic Reform to 8.9 million yuan, showing a 7.2-fold rise.
Tibet was short of petroleum and coal, and energy supply was inadequate
in the past. To change the situation, a power station was built
in Lhasa in 1956. It was the first public power enterprise in Tibet.
Tibet is rich in geothermal resources and the state invested in
building a geothermal power station in Yangbajain with the biggest
generating capacity in China. In 1991, the installed power generating
capacity of Tibet reached 140,000 kw and the annual output of generated
electricity came to 400 million kwh. After 40 years of construction,
Tibet boasts a dozen or so modern industries such as power, mining,
building materials, lumber, wool textile, printing and food. Employees
of state-owned enterprises total 51,000. In 1991, the total industrial
output value came to 403 million yuan, a rise of 5.3 times that
of 1959. The output value of the handicrafts stood at 46 million
yuan.
Tibet had no regular highways in the past. After the peaceful liberation
of Tibet, the first large-scale construction project was to build
highways from Sichuan and Qinghai to Lhasa on the high mountain
ridges with an average elevation of 3,000 meters. The Sichuan-Tibet
Highway is 2,413 km long and the Qinghai-Tibet Highway 2,122 km
long. Since then, the Xinjiang-Tibet, Yunnan-Tibet and China-Nepal
highways have been built one after another. Currently, there are
15 arterial highways and 315 feeder roads, with a total length of
21,842 km, throughout Tibet. Except for Medog County which is located
deep in the mountains, highways provide access to all the counties
and 77 percent of the townships in Tibet. A highway network, with
Lhasa at the center, consisting mainly of the Qinghai-Tibet, Sichuan-Tibet,
Yunnan-Tibet and China-Nepal highways, has taken shape. In order
to solve Tibet's fuel supply problem, the state allocated funds
to build a refined oil transmission pipeline from Golmud in Qinghai
Province to Lhasa. This 1,080-km-long pipeline has played an important
role in guaranteeing energy supplies for Tibet in its economic construction.
To meet Tibet's need to open to the outside world, since the start
of an air route from Lhasa to Beijing in 1956, domestic airlines
have offered services from Lhasa to Chengdu, Xian, Lanzhou, Shanghai
and Guangzhou. International air links have been inaugurated between
Lhasa and Kathmandu, Nepal.
Modern science and technology did not exist in old Tibet. The period
since the Democratic Reform has seen the establishment of agricultural,
animal husbandry, communications, power, construction, geological,
water conservancy, meteorological, public health, pharmaceutical
and educational research institutions in Tibet. They have trained
Tibetan scientific and technical personnel. The Academy of Social
Sciences of the Tibet Autonomous Region was set up in 1985. Currently,
Tibet has 17 special scientific research institutions with 26,900
technical personnel. Over the past 40 years, 347 scientific and
technological achievements have been awarded prizes at the autonomous
regional level. Of these, 21 scientific research achievements such
as "the comprehensive development and utilization of solar energy
resources in Tibet" have been honored by state prizes.
The snowy peaks, famous monasteries and relics of historical interest
on the Tibetan Plateau have attracted many adventurers and tourists
from other countries. In opening up, Tibet's tourism industry has
gradually flourished. At present, Tibet has 11 travel agencies and
19 tourist hotels and guesthouses with 3,600 beds for foreign guests.
The autonomous region has opened over 60 scenic spots to the public.
Between 1980 and 1991, Tibet received 150,900 overseas tourists.
Due to efforts made in the past 40-odd years the living standards
of the Tibetan people have improved markedly. Most farmers and herdsmen
have adequate food and clothing and some have attained relative
affluence. In 1991, the average net income of farmers and herdsmen
in the region was 455 yuan. Allowing for price increases, the figure
was 2.6 times higher than the 159 yuan of 1979. In the Zholgyur
Village, Yadong County at the foot of the Himalayas, the annual
income of the 75 households was 361,600 yuan in 1986 and 74 households
have built new dwellings. The per-capita income of residents in
cities and towns is 2,120 yuan a year, 3.3 times higher than in
1981. By the end of 1991, savings deposits of city and township
residents totalled 492.4 million yuan, over 500 times more than
in 1959. Farmers and herdsmen have obtained considerable amount
of means of production. Each household owns 6,021 yuan worth of
fixed assets for production purposes and 75 head of cattle. For
every 100 households, there are nine motor vehicles, six tractors,
three power-driven threshers, and 12 horse-drawn carts. The average
per-capita material consumption of farmers and herdsmen has increased
enormously compared with the period before the liberation of Tibet.
In 1991, the per-capita consumption of grain was 183.6 kg. Other
figures were 3.6 kg for edible oil, 14.7 kg for meat and 50 kg for
milk. While retaining their traditional diet, Tibetans have expanded
it to also include more vegetables, eggs, wine, sweets and pastries.
The living conditions of the people have improved markedly. According
to statistics produced by the local government of old Tibet, of
a population of 1 million in Tibet in 1950, some 900,000 lacked
real housing. Currently, except for the pastoral areas, all households
have fixed housing. In 1991, the per-capita floor space of city
and township residents reached 13.7 square meters. In Gyangze County
of Xigaze Prefecture, which has a population of 56,700, over 80
percent have moved into new dwellings, with a per-capita floor space
of 40 square meters. The traditional way of life of the Tibetan
people has been somewhat modernized. A sample survey shows that
for every 100 urban households, there are 212 bicycles, 88 color
televisions, 84 radio cassette recorders, 42 washing machines, 24
refrigerators and 26 cameras. The construction of various cultural
facilities has increasingly enriched the ethical outlook and cultural
life of Tibetan people.
Due to Tibet's extremely harsh natural conditions and its extremely
backward social development in history, the level of economic development
and the living standards of the people are still lower than the
nation's average. In 1989, the government of Tibet Autonomous Region
formulated the Strategic Ideas for the Economic and Social Development
of Tibet. It has implemented the policy of opening up to the rest
part of China and the outside world as well; exploring the regional,
domestic and foreign markets; developing advantageous resources
and stepping up development of key areas and key industries. The
goal is to narrow as soon as possible the gap in economic development
between Tibet and other areas of the nation in order to lay a solid
foundation for the common prosperity of Tibetan and other ethnic
groups.
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