Calling a state “authoritarian” is a childish distraction. All states rule through a monopoly on violence and the only difference is which class they’re pointing the guns for. Western “democracies” serve the capital owning class. Meanwhile, so-called “authoritarian” states like China, direct state power toward working-class interests, which is why leaders like Xi actually enjoy popular support instead of mass discontent.

The binary is a fantasy. The only real question is: who does the state work for?