>>508547085well that's how you technically align with western values while disagreeing with them in reality, sidestepping the failures of democracy to focus on actual nation building. LDP always wins in japan and PAP always wins in singapore. all three countries get away with being strict solely because they are economically aligned with america. if they weren't, you know the kind of criticisms they'd get. singapore literally has the death penalty.
when global finan-- i mean america insists on free, open democracies, it does so because it's trivial for its glowies to infiltrate. if the country ever leans too far into the opposing economic bloc, glowies can swing favour back home, or cause chaos through agitation.