I believe that when speaking of cadres in Tibet, the word 'collaborator' is not appropriate. Do you know this word? It was used in France to describe French people who cooperated with the Nazis in the war. But it generally means anyone who works with the occupiers of a country – and implies that they should be punished. But I believe that many of the Tibetan cadres are actually the best source of support for Tibetan culture and the best hope for the future. Some Tibetan exiles think that collaborators should be condemned. This is a complicated issue so let us look at the different types of Tibetans in Tibet today.
Liberal ethicists
A majority of the Tibetan population can be called 'liberal ethicists'. They are liberal because they believe that the culture, values and politics of Tibetans should change according to the time and political environment, and they are willing to adopt new measures to secure human needs. They are also ethicists because even as they are willing to adopt new ideas and new measures to change, they emphasise the ethical and moral value of every measure they are taking.
Although the liberal ethicists in Tibet are not against technological and scientific modernisation in general, they are not happy about the application of Chinese modernisation, which they see as the major source of the two cultures clashing. Any change in Tibet should satisfy these liberal ethicists, because they understand the needs of the majority of the population. As China's institutions and political system are becoming less favourable in Tibet, the Tibetan liberation ethicists' ideas, morals, values and institutions are becoming more popular and favourable.