Yes.

But to be fair given the hand they were dealt, the Chinese government played it pretty well for their people. Yes there are problems but they built a fantastic rail network, lifted a billion people out of poverty all while taking insults (cheap Chinese goods, copycats, not innovative etc etc).

I disagree with the crazy control and censorship but as a friend once told me:

When you are young you worship the heroe, as you grow older you understand the villain.