Yes, you are quite right that the dictator is trapped by the system, and I should have explained that. But the dictator still lies, because he doesn't explain

Yes, you are quite right that the dictator is trapped by the system, and I should have explained that. But the dictator still lies, because he doesn't explain the system, but instead falsely tells the public he really is trying to eliminate corruption and that those below him are simply refusing to follow his orders. That is what Putin, for instance, is saying. As for China, this has been the system for a long time. Xi Jinping says he is trying to fix it, and seems to be making some progress, but I not sure how things are going to go in the long term. My impression is that clean government usually requires a strong civil society that supports it, and in China that is resisted as threatening the central authoritarian government.