What if the British and Russians decide to become indisputable allies.
Would such a union dominate the world?
Would such a union dominate the world?
Depends entirely on the time period and the context. It is also a difficult ask. Russia was a severe autocracy and that is going to be difficult to chime with Britain's liberal public opinion.
The best time for a British-Russian alliance is post Seven Year's War. Britain had burned bridges with Austria and Prussia due to poor treatment of them as allies, and France is a natural enemy. Britain tried to get an alliance with Russia but Russia insisted on one of two conditions: either peacetime subsidies or support in any war against the Ottomans. Britain was looking at fiscal entrenchment at the time, so didn't want subsidies, and would only support Russia in a defensive war vs Constantinople. Plus, they were hubristic after the previous victory and thought they didn't need to offer much. The Tories in power believed Britain could go it alone. If the Whigs had been in power, who believed strongly in always having a continental ally, it could work.
How long it lasts is another matter.
Too complicated. After the 7YW Russia and Britain had been allied and whatever was passing for the British liberalism at that time had been more than balanced by the British need in the Russian goods (Russia had a positive trade balance with Britain at that time). As a “compensation” Britain helped with the 1st Archipelago Expedition by letting Russian ships to repair and resupply in the British ports and permitting the British seamen to enter the Russian service. Scenario was repeated during the War of the 2nd coalition and Lisbon Incident was a clear demonstration that the relations were not completely broken even with a formal declaration of war. Then, of course, they were allies in 1812 - 1814. Following cooling down had little to do with the British liberalism and everything to do with the British and Russian expansionism.
Britain and Russia were on opposing sides of 7YW.
But I agree with you in terms of the resulting cooling down. However my point was that had an alliance survived those things, British public opinion gets increasingly liberal during 1800s, so the sort of permanent alliance requested is difficult. Perhaps if Russia is always better than the Ottomans, UK propaganda could focus on that.