The idea that democracy is a great idea for some countries or cultures but not for others is fundamentally incoherent and abhorrent, and can only come from a place of elitism and racism.
That's exactly how China justifies its rule. It tries to sell the idea that certain cultures aren't suitable for democracy and that strongman rule is inherently natural(and said strongman can choose their system of government).
Countries without a history of liberal democracy will never succeed unless the movement for democracy is both organic and comes from a place of national unity. China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few examples, are not countries that have much if any experience with liberal democracy. And the more Westerners promote democracy in foreign policy, the more anti-Western resentment will be incurred. Pointing out that fact is neither elitist nor racist, but supporting a one-size-fits-all model for world governments is both naive and dismissive of how cultures actually work.