Glossary: Political Terms Associated with Modern Tibet
autonomous self-governing
defacto
Something generally accepted or agreed to without
any formal decision in its favor. (Latin: in fact)
Diaspora The flight, scattering, or migration of
a people from their country or homeland.
exile A person separated from his or her native land.
Prolonged separation from one's country, as by force of circumstances.
independence A nation, state, or territory
not under the control of any other power.
legitimate
government A government generally acknowledged as being
in control of a nation and deserving formal recognition, which
is symbolized by the exchange of diplomats between that government
and the governments of other countries.
nation A body of people, associated with a
particular territory,
that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or possess
a government peculiarly its own.
People's
Republic of China (PRC) The government of China set up
in 1949 after communist forces under the leadership of Mao
Tse Tung took control of the country.
self-determination
(national) The collective right of a people to choose
to view themselves as a distinct nation and freedom of a people
to determine the way in which they should be governed.
sovereignty
A nation or state's supreme power within its borders.
suzerainty
The position or power of a state exercising political control
over a dependent state.
theocracy A nation or state
in which the clergy exercise political power,
an in which religious law is dominant over civil law.
Tibet
Autonomous Region The official title given to Tibet by
The People's Republic of China in 1965. Regional borders of
historical Tibet were redefined by China.
Tibetan
Government-in-Exile The Tibetan government of The Dalai
Lama holding power in Tibet prior to the Chinese occupation,
reformed in exile and operating out of Dharamsala, India.
Xizang Chinese for western treasure house;
The Chinese' historical name for Tibet.
References:
The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Houghton Mifflin
Company, Boston, 1991.
Random House Webster's College Dictionary, Random House,
New York, 1992.
Taken
from: Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook
for Educators, by Tibet Education Network © 1999 Global
Source Education (see
The Global Source Catalog)
