I was thinking the same questions as you're asking here, and I had the same logic of "not being able to openly stand against the government" == "not freedom of speech" == "this country is a dictatorship shithole" == "only the western way of revolution/overturn regime can bring peace and prosperity to this country".
this mindset of mine didn't change until i personally stepped my feet outside of china.

I'm not good at explaining this kind of macro topics, like i said, it's very complexed, complicated and difficult for an American to understand why the China can prosper with such a shiity record of deMocrAcy and humAn riGhTs, and what in hell is happening to the majority of Chinese people who live under a dictatorship regime but still support ccp, are they really retarded or what.
my genuine advice dear anon, in case you really care, is go to china to see it for yourself. the good, the bad and the ugly will naturally unfold, in a unique style.