[rauljordan2020]

My point is they see themselves as having more freedoms than the west does in places that matter to their daily life: freedom from poverty, violent crime, the devastating effects of drugs on families, social chaos, and corruption. To Singaporeans, these are real freedoms. They’d much rather have that quality of life than live in homeless-infested cities with drugs where they can at least criticize the government.

[digianarchist]

It’s not one or the other. There are plenty of societies that meet the bar you describe without the restrictions Singapore has in place.