Challenge, make Russia and US change places

[tallwingedgoat]

In this timeline the US became the world's most modern industrial power built on a foundation of liberal laws, democracy and Capitalism. On the other side of the world Russia was to take the road of stiffling autocracy and failed revolutions.

The challenge is to start in 1860 before the American Civil War and during the reign of Alexander II, and completely reverse the fortunes and direction of these two countries, such that a century later Russia would become the preeminent Capitalist power and beacon of immigration from around the world, where as the US plays the role of OTL Soviet Union.

 

[67th Tigers]

Showing like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_in_the_USSA ?

 

[tallwingedgoat]

That's an interesting book. So we have an idea how US might end up in a Soviet style parallel universe, but could a longer living Alexander II and more liberal successors produce a democratic and industrialized Russia?

 

[Hendryk]

An old WI of mine could be of interest for this challenge: Russia's Wild East. Some good suggestions were made.

WI an alternate 19th-century Russia had managed its Eastern frontier just like America had managed its Western one, with foreign migrants pouring in from European countries in search of opportunity and a new life, bitter fighting against natives who resist the white man's encroachment on their ancestral homelands, boomtowns set up overnight only to die down within a few years, gold rushes, cattle ranchers, a race between two companies to build the Transsiberian railway (with the winner being the one who relied on Chinese labor ), etc., etc...

 

[HueyLong]

As of 1860, I don't think its possible.

Decades of Darkness does it pretty well, I think, but thats with an earlier POD.

 

[tallwingedgoat]

I was thinking since this was one year before Alexander II's Emancipation of the Serfs, perhaps a better planned reform would have served Russia a lot better. Starting with power sharing with the Duma for example.

 

[Johnrankins]

The South wins the Civil War and both the Confederacy and the Union fall apart due to internal sqaublling. Since the precedent had been set that if you don't like something leave every little squabble ends in secession and breaks the country in many different pieces. Ten years later Nathen Bedford Forrest decides to declare himself emperor of Tennesee saying only an emperor can bring peace to America. Most of the former Confederacy was conquered within ten years and the rest of former US was conquered in another ten. The land was renamed the Empire of America.

Meanwhile in Russia the reforms of Alexander II continue and the Duma was given more power. By 1885 Russian peasants have about as many rights as a British one circa 1750 or so. By 1900 they have as many as an American farmer circa 1825 or so. The Russians start developing their resources in a more rational manner then OTL. Immigrants from the rest of Europe accellerate the process and by 1950 or so is the richest nation on the planet.