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"Friendly Feudalism" Continued from page 78 or innocent political symbols. "To idealise About the Author: them," noted Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese Michael Parenti received his Ph D in to $700 per month, along with Medicare. _ traveller to Tibet, now living in Britain, "is Political science from Yale University. In addition, the monks reside rent free in _ to deny them their humanity." He has taught at a number of colleges nicely furnished apartments. "They pay no One common complaint among and universities, in the United States utilities, have free access to the Internet on Buddhist followers in the West is that and abroad. Some of his writings have computers provided for them, along with Tibet's religious culture is being been translated into Arabic, Bangla, fax machines, free cell and home phones undermined by the Chinese occupation. Chinese, Dutch, French, German, and cable TV." To some extent this seems to be the case. Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, They also receive a monthly payment Many of the monasteries are closed, and Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, from their order, along with contributions much of the theocracy seems to have Serbian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. and dues from their American followers. _ passed into history. Dr Parenti's previous article in Some devotees eagerly carry out chores for Whether Chinese rule has brought NEXUS, "The Media and_ their the monks, including grocery shopping and _ betterment or disaster is not the central Atrocities", was published in 2000 in cleaning their apartments and toilets. issue here. The question is what kind of s . : vol. 7, no. 5. These same holy men, Lewis remarked, country was old Tibet. What I am To view additional articles by Dr "have no problem criticizing Americans for disputing is the supposedly pristine Parenti. visit the website of the Centre their ‘obsession with material things'".“ spiritual nature of that pre-invasion , sae To welcome the end of the old feudal culture. We can advocate religious for Research on Globalization at theocracy in Tibet is not to applaud freedom and independence for a new Tibet http://www.globalresearch.ca. or innocent political symbols. "To idealise them," noted Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese traveller to Tibet, now living in Britain, "is to deny them their humanity."* One common complaint among Buddhist followers in the West is that Tibet's religious culture is being undermined by the Chinese occupation. To some extent this seems to be the case. Many of the monasteries are closed, and much of the theocracy seems to have passed into history. Whether Chinese rule has brought betterment or disaster is not the central issue here. The question is what kind of country was old Tibet. What I am disputing is the supposedly pristine spiritual nature of that pre-invasion culture. We can advocate religious freedom and independence for a new Tibet without having to embrace the mythology about old Tibet. Tibetan feudalism was cloaked in Buddhism, but the two are not to be equated. In reality, old Tibet was not a Paradise Lost. It was a retrograde, repressive theocracy of extreme privilege and poverty, a long way from Shangri-La. to $700 per month, along with Medicare. In addition, the monks reside rent free in nicely furnished apartments. "They pay no utilities, have free access to the Internet on computers provided for them, along with fax machines, free cell and home phones and cable TV." They also receive a monthly payment from their order, along with contributions and dues from their American followers. Some devotees eagerly carry out chores for the monks, including grocery shopping and cleaning their apartments and toilets. These same holy men, Lewis remarked, "have no problem criticizing Americans for their ‘obsession with material things'".“ To welcome the end of the old feudal theocracy in Tibet is not to applaud everything about Chinese rule in that country. This point is seldom understood by today's Shangri-La believers in the West. The converse is also true: to denounce the Chinese occupation does not mean we have to romanticise the former feudal regime. Tibetans deserve to be perceived as actual people, not perfected spiritualists Editor's Note: The complete text of this article, together with endnotes (which we've had to delete due to our space constraints) can be found at web page http://www.globalresearch.ca/index. php?context=viewArticle&code= PAR20071118&articleld=7355. NEXUS * 79 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2008 www.nexusmagazine.com