What's particularly bad about the system per se, without getting into the arguments specific to Chinese politics?
> What's particularly bad about the system per se,
Tightening everyday social control that's at least partially designed to serve the political goals of an unabashedly authoritarian regime that's self-consciously opposed to things like "universal values of human rights." [1] [2]
It might be easier to understand it this way: in China, you're a de-facto criminal if they judge you to be in some way opposed to the regime.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/asia/chinas-new-lea...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/magazine/the-lonely-crusa...
> without getting into the arguments specific to Chinese politics?
That's almost like asking what's bad about something without getting into its bad aspects.