AHC: Western and Eastern Europe swap politics

We all know the political stereotypes of Western versus Eastern Europe and largely how they've arisen. My challenge to you is, without changing WWII or the overall arc of the Cold War (Soviets still collapse around the same time etc), have Western Europe be known as the conservative, reactionary part and Eastern Europe the liberal, open part. Western Europe for this will be France, the UK, the Benelux and Scandinavian nations excluding the Mediterranean countries. Eastern Europe will be all former Warsaw Pact and Yugoslav nations.
 
You would have to do it super early (medieval or dark age pod most likely). You can do it in the east with as little as 3-4 things 1. A no mongal invasion russia that grows out of novagrod or kevian rus will help in the east. 2 if you can keep Poland strong(otl medieval western border on oder river)and have it enter a union with hungry (was close to happening a few times otl) will help in central europe. 3 if you can keep byantians strong between them and poland-hungary you should be able to split the balkens. 4. Bohemia/silasia can be kept as is or absorbed into Poland-hungary because they were pretty western already.
 
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BigBlueBox

Banned
If you define "liberal" as support for free markets and low state spending, and "reactionary" as opposing and reacting against the ongoing demolition of the welfare state and labor regulations as well as privatization, then this is already somewhat true. :winkytongue:
 
The west is a bit harder but it may come from a combination of another 4, 1. neverending 100-year war for England and France, Scotland , 2 more bloody protestant reformations for Europe in general (but mostly Germany Benelux and north Italy) 3. The Kalmar union in Scandinavia dies more violently and the region experiences on and off wars for dominance that are sometimes taken advantage of by outside powers like England or scottland grabbing Iceland or Russia grabbing finland 4. A Spain that locks down Portugal and arogon (south Italy by relation) in unions and has a neverending Spanish inquisition mindset thats they try to carry into a north African reconcesta
 
(I'll try my hand at a cold war pod as on second inspection its not as bad as I first thought) If you want a pod as late as possible if you can get a fallout style world going that has a much worse red scare and McCarthyism never ends that gradually leads to a more authitarian mind set for much of the west. You then just need the eastern block to become more democratic and your set.
 
To me it all comes back to geography.

If a nation is continually having to defend itself you end up in a conservative, authoritarian armed camp. basically a military structure for survival.

If a nation isn't being attacked by outsiders internal factions rise up and demand power, ultimately ending up in democracies, rule of law, etc.

The problem for Eastern Europe is it is right next to the Asian Steppe. The source of violent men on little horses for thousands of years.

OTOH Western Europe is is at the end of the European penisula. As technology allows communications to improve nation states are going to happen minimising external conflicts.

So, to flip the OTL political situation you first need to eliminate the threat of the Steppe where every couple of hundred years a boom and bust cycle spits out a barbarian hoarde.
Then you have to find a way of getting the neighbors to play nice. Pick an Eastern European nation and it is going to have potentially hostile neighbors on all sides. Not like easilly defended Avalon. Maybe the only way is a hegemonic empire? But with limited navigable waterways you are going to have to wait for railways to make it work.

Meanwhile in the West you are essentially going to have to find ways of stopping them forming nation states. Given that places like Spain, Frace, and the UK have really convenient geographic borders that is going to be tough. You need to find some way of keeping those micro states fighting so the loyal lords never feel safe enough to pull stunts like the Magna Carta.
 
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