Downvoted, because "X happens in every dictatorship" does not mean "every place where X happens is a dictatorship", and also because I think there is a noticeable difference between Gmail and Wikileaks (even though I supported the latter).
Government doesn't want X to be said about it, and thus pressures/censors company Y to stop it.
(X = "Anti-Communist sentiment" or "War crimes")
(Y = "Google" or "Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, Wikileaks... etc")
Not a huge noticeable difference.
The point I was trying to make, is everyone is quick to taint a discussion on china with words like "Dictatorship", when in fact, china isn't (You know they can vote!?), and all the 'evidence' of them being one are scenarios played out in all countries.
Government doesn't want X to happen against its interests, and thus implements measure Y to counter-act it.
Now all governments and governmental actions are the same.
Also, people in Eastern Germany could vote, that didn't help a lot. I am not sure if dictatorship is the proper term when it's actually a one-party state / oligarchy, though.
There is a conservative wing and a progressive wing to the CCP... much like there is a Republican party and a democratic party. one party state is techniquely true, but in reality it plays out much like a 2 party system.
Government is oligarchical by nature. i would not rank the US much better than china in that regard.
