The reason a Western-style democracy generates much more wealth than, say, the economy of a tin-pot despot is because democracy puts control of wealth generation into the hands of the wealth generators. The affairs of state are complex enough without trying to micro manage 200 million people's daily lives.
This is why Stalin's Russia crumbled. Eventually nepotism, cronyism, communism, or whatever you wish to call it tries to dictate to people rather than providing for what they want. Soon, you tie up your national resources and treasure and workforce generating things that nobody wants to curry favor with your cartel of friends. The economy begins to suffer because exports decline, then the military begins to suffer because the economy suffers, then the workforce begins to suffer and that increases the security costs to the state, which tips you into an economic abyss. Eventually dictators wind up spending their time, energy, and resources propping up a way of life that is detrimental to all because they haven't the capacity for reason. For instance, while Saddam was glorying in his fiefdom when did you ever see "Made in Iraq" on anything?
China is interesting, for they seem to have struck upon the notion of controlling the culture with an iron fist, thereby controlling what the people want, the better to anticipate their needs. This is a novel idea that will simply take a bit longer to fail. The reason it will fail is because we live in an inter-connected and inter-dependent world now. When the Chinese see what we have they will want it for their children, and there is simply no way to keep our culture out through force of arms. The Chinese government will simply be unable to keep out Jerry Springer and Oprah no matter how hard it tries. In fact censorship generally increases demand for a product.
That is the strength of this nation more-so than it's weaponry or flag/logo design. I believe that when we are true to the ideals of our founding: that all men are created equal, that opportunity and fairness are the engine of a peaceful/wealthy society, that we must all pay our fair share to live in a just society, and that we will never trade our liberty (or our neighbors) for a few magic beans, we are unopposable. This is because, as a Russian (forgive my memory) best put it, "You cannot stop an ism".
This is the historic lesson of governance for politicians to learn. Fight favor, rather than curry it, and you will generate more cultural wealth, economic wealth, and military might than if you pontificate infallible edicts from a mountain-top. A mantra to govern well is, "Embrace choice, for that is the engine of liberty. Protect fairness, for that is the engine of opportunity."
Because I believe strongly in the above it is very frustrating to watch the Bush administration operate in Iraq. By treating Iraq's capital like a baby with candy and pontificating privatization Bush has robbed Iraqis of opportunity. By hoarding Iraq's treasure in Halliburton-style sweetheart-deals the Bush administration has robbed Iraq's economy of fairness.
It may be a long time yet before we see "Made in Iraq" on anything we buy.
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