I have some experience of similar issues in Singapore and Vietnam, both of which I have been fortunate to spend some time in. Both have significant social and political issues, however I was surprised by how different the experience of living in those places was to the perceived (often justifiable) concerns of external commentators. Singapore is a prime example. Everyone is aware of the political restrictions in place in SP, the use of the death penalty (which I'm EXTREMELY opposed to), and of the often ludicrous strictness of fines. No-one, however, before I went, or while I was there seemed to want to discuss the education system (free up to and including University level), excellent infrastructure, unparalleled personal safety, and the way that racial integration had been handled extremely well.
I'm not denigrating the arguments against, which are true and compelling, but I'm just saying that things are not always as simple or as polarised as we would perhaps like to think.