I can’t write to a high enough standard but I have thoughts and ideas so I used AI to improve the writing style of my thoughts. Please let me know your thoughts and also any critique of the subject matter.
Is Life in China Really That Bad? A Critical Comparison with the UK and US
Like many people, I’ve grown more sceptical of mainstream media in recent years. With the way Western media — especially in the UK and US — covers certain global events, it’s hard not to feel like we’re constantly being fed a one-sided narrative.
One country that always seems to be portrayed as the global boogeyman is China. Whether it’s about tariffs, surveillance, or human rights, we’re led to believe that China is the dystopian opposite of our “free and democratic” West.
But is that really true? Or are we clinging to a Cold War-era caricature while ignoring the problems in our own backyards?
Let’s break this down and take a more honest look at what life is really like in China — compared to the UK and US.
Economic Transformation: Who’s Actually Improving Lives?
Let’s start with what’s probably China’s most impressive achievement: economic development.
- Since the 1980s, China has lifted over 800 million people out of poverty (source: World Bank).
- Cities have transformed beyond recognition — from dirt roads to smart cities, modern metros, and high-speed trains.
- It’s now the second-largest economy in the world, and a leader in electric vehicles, renewable energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in the UK:
- Real wages have stagnated for over a decade.
- Public services are crumbling.
- Home ownership feels like a fantasy for an entire generation.
In the US:
- Healthcare is still a privilege, not a right.
- Student debt is crippling.
- Homelessness is rampant even in major cities.
China has made huge strides in improving the material conditions of its citizens — in many ways, more successfully than the West in the past 40 years.
Political Systems: One Party vs No Real Choice
It’s true: China has a single-party system. The Communist Party of China (CPC) holds all political power, and opposition is not tolerated in the way we expect in the West.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
In the UK and US, we don’t really have a choice either.
- Labour has become indistinguishable from the Tories on most issues that matter — from austerity to foreign policy.
- In the US, the Democrats and Republicans bicker over culture wars, but both support corporate welfare, endless war, and mass surveillance.
So while China has one party that doesn’t pretend, the UK and US offer two parties that pretend to be different while upholding the same broken system. It’s the illusion of choice, not actual democracy.
Surveillance: East vs West
China is often called a surveillance state — and that’s true. The use of facial recognition, social credit systems (in some regions), and data tracking is real.
But here’s what’s rarely mentioned:
The UK has one of the highest densities of CCTV cameras per capita in the world.
And in the US/UK:
- Mass surveillance programs like GCHQ’s Tempora or the NSA’s PRISM have been exposed in leaks.
- Police now use facial recognition and predictive policing tech, often disproportionately targeting marginalised groups.
We are watched too. The West just uses capitalism to soften the edges of authoritarianism.
Censorship: By the State or By Corporations?
China censors the internet heavily — no Google, YouTube, Twitter. But again, let’s not pretend the West is some free speech utopia.
- Palestinian voices are consistently suppressed in Western media.
- Protests are under-reported, misrepresented, or ignored.
- Julian Assange is imprisoned for exposing war crimes.
- Algorithms on social platforms shadowban or deprioritise dissenting views that challenge the state-corporate status quo.
So yes — censorship exists in China. But it exists here too, just through privately owned media and Silicon Valley algorithms rather than a central state ministry.
The Reality of Daily Life in China
Most urban Chinese live in modern, clean, well-connected cities. You can:
- Pay for everything with your phone.
- Travel cross-country on a high-speed train.
- Get access to affordable healthcare and education.
- Live in cities that are cleaner and more functional than most in the West.
Of course, rural areas vary — just like they do anywhere. But overall, life for the average Chinese person has improved dramatically, and the level of national pride and social cohesion is strong.
Contrast that with:
- Crumbling infrastructure in the US.
- Homelessness on every UK high street.
- Youth feeling hopeless and disconnected from politics.
“China Bad, We Good”: The Simplistic Myth
We’re constantly told that China is the villain. But look at how they’ve responded to things like:
- Tariffs from the US? Measured and strategic.
- Foreign policy? Far less aggressive or invasive than NATO or the US military.
- Global influence? Through infrastructure projects and trade, not bombs and regime change.
Meanwhile, the West arms genocidal regimes, cuts public services, and criminalises dissent — all while claiming the moral high ground.
Want to See for Yourself?
Here are some independent or alternative voices offering a more nuanced look at China:
- Nathan Rich – Data-driven rebuttals to Western media narratives.
- Cyrus Janssen – Balanced takes on geopolitics and Chinese policy.
- Daniel Dumbrill – Canadian expat breaking down Western propaganda.
- Jerry’s Take on China – Casual, human-focused content from the ground.
- The China Show – More critical of China now, but good as a counterpoint.
You can also watch bilingual interviews or TikToks from Chinese netizens to get unfiltered glimpses of real life.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t about saying China is perfect — it’s not. But the idea that we in the UK and US are morally superior or fundamentally freer is a comforting delusion.
In many ways, China has done more for its citizens in the last 40 years than the UK or US have. The real question is why our media keeps pretending otherwise — and whether we’re ready to confront that.
Maybe it’s time to stop asking “Why is China so bad?”
And start asking “Why is our system failing us?”
Have you been to these three countries?
I’ve lived in the UK all my life. I’ve been to the USA once and China nonce.
Anyway, it’s clear my post wasn’t put together well as it seems people think I’m saying China good, when I’m really not. I’m trying to say western media bias is a thing and although China has bad things, we do too and I wanted to open a discussion about this.
I was just asking, because reading about somewhere and going are radically different. I quite like life in China compared to America. They do a lot of things right. And I agree the west isn’t morally or censorship wise better sadly.