alternatehistory.com

Most people have heard of the St. Petersburg Rebellion, when Tsar Nichols II was very nearly ousted in an attempted insurrection. Students of history know it only failed because Nicholas had reluctantly accepted two things: Russia could not be modernized while remaining an autocracy, and his son was not fit be come Tsar after him, and so began grooming his daughter Tatiana for eventual rule. So, with the aid of advisors from various countries, he created a new Constitution for Russia, and started to reform the country more aggressively than before, including reining in the abuses practiced by many factory owners. There was still a lot of unrest, and a lot of dissatisfaction and anger, but not quite enough fora successful insurrection, and the October Rebellion was even less successful. Over the last just over a century, Russia has changed out of all easy recognition: The Tsar's power is still vast compared to most remaining monarchs, but the Russian Parliament is meaningful, including etc Commons, and yes, the gap between the rich and the poor is large, but they have a decent social safety net and a strong commitment to the belief that nobody should be without healthful food and winter-adequate shelter. Indeed, Tsarina Tatiana famously said, "If you would judge Russia's prosperity, look at the slums, not the palaces."

But, as I said, it was a near thing. What if the February Rebellion had been successful, and the October Revolution had capitalized on it? How Russia and the world have gone?
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