I agree with most of what you say. I worked in China for a few years back when Mao jackets were still a thing.  When I first arrived, their papers were trumpeting the opening of the first export oriented battery factory. The creation of a prosperous middle class has indeed been remarkable. However, I was in China during the Tianammen Square debacle, though thankfully not in Beijing, and one shouldn't think this new middle class will be 'bought off' forever. Also, the corruption of party officials was open and unabashed. In the days when cars were few and far between, and never privately owned, the local union head and I used to be driven around the province scobbing free meals and liquor (and western made electric products) while he collected fat envelopes of cash from local businesses, gov't owned ones at that.