The brainwashing bit was a “if you want to learn more,” not critical to my point.

I think when you focus too much on ideology, you are missing the core reasons why humans behave the way they do, chiefly material conditions. Human actions are more based on their surroundings than any innate human “greed,” same with ideology. I think, ultimately, you are taking too much of an “ideas-focused” view of human history, which Materialists would reject. I suggest you read Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. The Mode of Production is dominant over ideological concerns. Ideology may reinforce the Mode of Production, but ideas are formed through experiencing the real world, not random phantasms beamed to your head.

In Western democracies “freedom of the press” is intended to be a counterbalance against this type of tyranny of the government.

No offense, but this is wrong. The intention is to give wealthy Capitalists dictatorial control over media, and it is working as intended. The justification for the working class is to “protect against government tyranny,” but the government in Capitalism is also subservient to Capitalists. They aren’t opposed, the system is working as intended.

While Communist democracies may have recognized the susceptibility of the “free press” to being bought up by capitalists and turned into a propaganda arm, and so has put limitations on it, it’s also removed the check against tyranny of the government. I’m not sure what its replaced it with?

Socialist systems are more comprehensively democratic than Capitalist ones. The “free press” in Capitalism is Capitalist press, bought by Capitalists. State press in Capitalism is still Capitalist press, as the State is bought by Capitalists. There are no checks. Press in Socialist countries may have controls, but this also protects against rampant misinformation, such as the “Lab Leak” nonsense or COVID denialism.

As far as “voting out corruption,” easier to do in Socialism than Capitalism, where corruption is the rule. Socialist countries must keep the mandate of the people, or else face unrest and instabilitt, the government has to do its best to uphold that.

Is this just inevitable then? That seems like it’s the trajectory of capitalism anyway.

Not quite. Nuclear war, Capitalism winning war, climate change, and more could stop it. Even then, it must still be overthrown, is isn’t a won game. Trajectory is on our side, but we cannot be complacent.

so, all a Socialist country would have to do is hold on long enough for late stage capitalism to come to roost. Then they’re outproducing the capitalists, and if the capitalists decide to wage a war its too late. They don’t have the production.

See China’s strategy, and why it has focused on developing the Global South, as a means to both gain customers and ween itself off of needing US investment. They learned from what led to the collapse of the USSR. The US offshored its production, relying on Imperialism, and now this is weakening as more countries pivot away from it.

The US is burning all its bridges, tarrifing itself for no explainable reason, and making enemies out of allies while China, they are leading the green revolution and are capable of acknowledging climate change.

Spot-on. The US is flailing to save itself from the trap it willingly walked into.

China is investing in the correct places for the future. I don’t even know if the US could win a war against them today, let alone tomorrow.

Probably not today, unless it went nuclear. Then everyone would lose. China’s long-term plan is because of its Socialist system.

Also are there any people who’ve addressed the unique need for nuclear dearmament in these late term stages? That seems to be a complicated problem.

Impossible without demolishing Imperialism, as the primary contradiction in the world today, and possibly impossible until the erasure of borders into one global system, IMO.