[newyankee]

Your comment makes absolute sense especially when viewed with my Eastern upbringing lens. Let me use it to add a few more relevant points concerning other Asian countries.

The same logic is used by people like me to justify why only dictatorial state controlled capitalism with quick decision making, very serious censorship laws and crushing of any opponents to ensure single party rule etc. was important for a country like China to progress so fast. A democracy with multiple dissenting opinions in a third world country would mean many vested and crony interests would hijack the country and nothing would happen, e.g. India where only recently has the system started making faster, more transparent decisions.

I always see the kind of nuance you mention especially for a relatively easy to govern small state which leverages its location for growth is missing when discussing the problems of larger nations. Even in the larger outlets in the Western world. It is mostly a case of intellectual laziness where labels and general summary of a complex and large country is used in day to day discussions or articles.