The increase in quality of life of millions of people in China is probably civilizations greatest recent achievement, and something makes many many people far from China happy and optimistic for the future. You are correct in pointing out that there are many powerful people in the big democracies, who crave authoritarian power and wield it brutally when they can, but they are resisted, though by fewer people than we would like to admit. It is starting to seem that in many places authoritarians are consolidating power, in democracies and in China. Some people are concerned by this because they see it encroaching on their power and privilege. Others fear first for the people of China, and then for all of us, that a rise in authoritarian power in China will fuel its rise everywhere.

Seeing all this happen, you have to ask - how much were the people lifted out of poverty, and how much did they climb out when Deng Xiaopeng took a little of the pressure off their necks