AHC: A truly democratic Russia

The standing joke about Russia is, the surprising thing isn't a new dictator, it's an actual functioning democracy.:p So, following either the 1917 Revolution or the 1991 fall of the Wall (your choice), make Russia genuinely democratic: no gangster oligarchs, no controlling oligarchy, & no Putin (or analog).
 
Easiest ways might be that Kerensky is able to keep power and there is slow transition towards democracy.

Or then Whites are able cooperate better on Russian Civil War and get some support of people. Firstly regime might be pretty authotarian but it can transfer to democracy later.

Perhaps you can too get more succesful Gorbachev but even then USSR might not be any more democratic than OTL Putin's Russia.

Or then you get someone else as Yeltsin as first president of Russian Federation. But it not sure that you can save democracy in the country.
 
The Nazis never rise, so Soviet Russia becomes public enemy number one. After they lose WWII, democracy is forced on them.
 
A very dedicated involvement of the West in late 1980-s early 1990-s reforms might help somewhat. A very large but targeted loans with supervision on political and economic decisions. Better works with Gorbachev then Yeltsin.

Even then you can't plant fully mature democracy to a society which lacks any standing democratic traditions and expect it to work flawlessly. You can only hope to prevent it's deterioration and perversion until people sure it works and a norm. I'd expect it takes a few generations to truly work, though crucial are probably a first decade or two. Working economy instead of widespread disaster would be of great help.

It is rather funny that Stalin from all people seem to had toyed with the idea of democratic elections at least. Unless fakes (which is more then likely) there are proposed examples of voting lists for 1937 with more then 1 candidate and even non-communist ones. It was obviously shelved 9if ever existed) and never looked up again.
 
I honestly cant think of any major country that has endured more brutal hardship in the 20th century then Russia. From the oppressive Czars through WW1, the revolution, the Purges, the 20 million dead in WW2, the oppressive Stalinist regime and that of his successors, and then after all that when Russia was starting to take real steps to democracy it is crushed by hyperinflation and poverty in the 1990s. Is it any wonder that democracy hasn't flourished there? Or that the country has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates on Earth :(
 
After 1917 is difficult the provisional government has to say no to continuing the war. The other thing that might also work is no Kornilov affair and possibly the death of Lenin it ensures most of the Bolshevik leadership is still imprisoned and Lenin is death.

After that it's the long and difficult task of Russia getting it's shit together, resolving issues of land, what to do about food and the economy and general what is going to replace the provisional government.
 
Have Novogrod unite Russia instead of Muscowy.
For later POD, Alexander II avoids assassination, and its his son OTL Alexander III who's killed, so Russia gets its parliament 25 years ahead of schedule.
That's the most plausible ways I can think of.
 
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Have the New Union Treaty be signed, and when its signed, the people clamor for true democracy (As the Treaty only outlined Communist Party relaxation). Then, the Soviets recover faster from the 1973-1993 economic turmoil faster, and the democratic (federal, along US Lines) system gets the credit.
 
Bakenellan said:
Even then you can't plant fully mature democracy to a society which lacks any standing democratic traditions and expect it to work flawlessly. You can only hope to prevent it's deterioration and perversion until people sure it works and a norm.

NamelesStatistic said:
I honestly cant think of any major country that has endured more brutal hardship in the 20th century then Russia. From the oppressive Czars through WW1, the revolution, the Purges, the 20 million dead in WW2, the oppressive Stalinist regime and that of his successors, and then after all that when Russia was starting to take real steps to democracy it is crushed by hyperinflation and poverty in the 1990s. Is it any wonder that democracy hasn't flourished there? Or that the country has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates on Earth :(
Agreed on all counts. I don't suggest doing it is going to be simple or easy... If the oligarchs & gangsters are gone, & there's a working democracy, I'm happy.
 
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