The US has a lot of headwinds on this short list but at least I am aware of the atrocities it has committed, can ask questions without being disappeared, and can theoretically run for office without being shot.

You can criticize all you want but your criticism will be buried and ignored. You can run for office but you won't stand a chance unless you bend the knee to a major party or be rat fucked by them.

The Western demcratic system has devolved to a point where it's mostly for show. Parties only differ from each other on relatively minor policies and in most places you are simply voting for neoliberalism or more neoliberalism. Studies have shown that public opinion has pretty negligible effect on the chance of a law passing. You can see this I'm how a majority of Americans support universal healthcare but that reform never passes.

You've been taught that the choice of red coke or blue coke is the ultimate power, never questioning why you must always drink coke and nothing else.