Apologies that I can’t add much detail to this post, as I’m in Italy right now but I’m looking for definite political, social, economic, technological, etc consequences of the West surviving the events of the 5th century. I personally like the idea of Majorian restoring and reforming the Empire.
The effects would be too great to write them all down in a single post. However for me the three most important consequences of a surviving WRE would be:
stronger ties between the Latin and Greek part of the mediterranean world instead of reciprocal alienation;
a more mediterranean-centric concept of “Europe”, if it ever develops;
less push for conversion of pagans in central and eastern Europe, the emperors would find more useful to direct their resources towards those directly bordering them and those inside their empire but not yet following the official creed (Chalcedonian).
defeating the vandals was only the first step.
This would certainly help…
He would also have to overthrow the barbarian Patrician Ricimer, curb the power of the ultra-rich senators who controlled most of the income and manpower of Italy at the time
But this would only cost him the throne. Especially if by curbing you mean purge.
and then achieve a permanent defeat of Visigoths, Svebes and Franks.
Already achieved and not necessary, at least for the survival of the empire. Just avoid the fall of Narbo and the rise of an emperor not recognized by anyone outside Italy.
I imagined him taking the way of proto-feudalism, to better harness the resources of the empire as monetary economy was breaking down.
Why would such a system help the empire? Basically the emperor would just give up most of his prerogatives in favour of local dynasts.