The most typical theocracy recognizes a god as the supreme civil ruler and does not admit other religions.
In other countries, different religions are allowed though the governments are under the influence of a major religion. Under such circumstances, the government only has some vestigial theocratic aspects.
Only when a government puts itself on the position of working for the benefits of all people, it can deliver real religious freedom. And only in such circumstances, religion is nothing but a matter of an individual and his faith.
In most countries, it is still a dream for all to have equal access to development and happiness, but it is also acknowledged that the eternal happiness of an individual or a group cannot be achieved at the expense of others.
The Dalai Lama and his followers, however, have launched a series of activities against the historical trend. They are seeking to revive theocracy, the darkest and the cruelest system in Tibetan history, and are ignoring the value of human beings. The violence they incited mirrors their distain of ordinary people, which is not only against the ideals democracy and freedom promoted in the Western countries, but also contradicts the principles of comprehensive development and freedom of people pursued in our country.
The riot that erupted in Lhasa on March 14 contracts the 14th Dalai Lama's calls for peace. And the riot also demonstrated how theocracy acts against human nature.
If the Dalai Lama is really working to boost the welfare of the Tibetan people, as he has claimed, he should abandon his fantasy about restoring the Buddhist theocracy in Tibet, stop his secessionist attempts and make meaningful contributions to improve the life of Tibetan people. This is what a religious figure should do for his faithful.
Both history and today's reality have proved beyond doubt that theocracy has no hopes of striking new roots in Tibet.
The authors are with Tibet Academy of Social Sciences
(China Daily April 29, 2008)