Basically - with a POD no latter than the October Revolution itself, how could the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics not only win the Cold War, but also be an internal success - that is to say, much less corruption, world leader in innovation, and have the largest economy (except that it may at least follow China and India if and only if both are allies, but necessarily larger than the USA, Capitalist Europe, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, &c.), have a more or less stable sociopolitics, and a quality of life equal to or greater than any other significantly-sized power.
I think some things the USSR could do for this include: Smaller military, at least after the 1940s; no Great Purge; this would enable it to invade Nazi Germany before it was a serious threat to the USSR (and thus giving it hegemony over at least most of Central Europe); a greater focus on R&D and consumer goods; less dogmatic ideology (for example, no shoving Socialist Realism down people's throats), and correspondingly more social and political liberties. And it is necessary that the Lenin Era-like policies or something equally or more beneficial and enlightened carry on, so Stalin cannot come to power (see Lenin's Last Will and Testament).
Those are my thoughts; what about yours?
I think some things the USSR could do for this include: Smaller military, at least after the 1940s; no Great Purge; this would enable it to invade Nazi Germany before it was a serious threat to the USSR (and thus giving it hegemony over at least most of Central Europe); a greater focus on R&D and consumer goods; less dogmatic ideology (for example, no shoving Socialist Realism down people's throats), and correspondingly more social and political liberties. And it is necessary that the Lenin Era-like policies or something equally or more beneficial and enlightened carry on, so Stalin cannot come to power (see Lenin's Last Will and Testament).
Those are my thoughts; what about yours?