Gorbachev USSR TLs

How would the USSR of developed if Gorbachev managed to hold on his power? Was it even possible for him to remain in power? Plus, have any good tls been made about this?
 
Very possible.

The USSR would likely have become an EU-like confederation (though closer to being a single state) whose political ideology would be something like that of OTL Sweden. The Baltic states were going to be cut loose no matter what though.
 
Would you regard that as better than the current Russian Federation? Gorbachev was not universally loved, but surely he is better than semi-fascist Putin.
 
Would you regard that as better than the current Russian Federation? Gorbachev was not universally loved, but surely he is better than semi-fascist Putin.
Enormously better, Gorbachev was an honest social democrat who believed in equality and democracy. I believe it was very possible and I could see the USSR, which would most likely still be under his rule today 20 years later, developing into the closest thing to a real ideological socialist/communist state the world has ever seen. Rivalries between the USSR and USA would likely have simmered down and Gorbachevism (Lenin and Stalin get their own ism's so why not) would be a popular ideology throughout Eastern Europe, Africa, and south and central Asia. The reformed USSR would be a much better place to live the Russia today, that much is safe to say.
 
I have not read the actual 1991 Union Treaty, but my impression is that on economic matters at the very least the individual states would be left to their own devices. Moscow would act as a kind of "Imperial Center" basically in charge of the various elements of foreign policy and issues which demanded coordination between the member states. That means the economic liberalization, and all of the attendant problems, might still happen or at least begin to happen in Russia. Of course given Gorbachev's distaste for such liberalization, and his distaste for Yeltsin he might attempt to pressure the situation into a reversal of that policy but I think that's a difficult thing to reverse entirely. However, with a surviving USSR perhaps we will see an earlier attempt to quell the rising national crime rate, especially in the "Imperial Center" itself?

There would be a definite power struggle between President Gorbachev of the USSR and President Yeltsin of Russia. They hated each other.

I'm not sure Gorbachev would still be President of the USSR today. He was enormously unpopular in Russia in the 1990's historically. Of course if the Union treaty is actually signed that could mitigate that to a degree but it can only do so much. Even if the office is not entirely Democratic I think Gorbachev is going to end up in retirement, certainly by the present date. I don't know who would replace him. I don't think Gorbachev would allow Yeltsin to be promoted to that position-if Yeltsin even survives as President of Russia. Unless Yeltsin can completely avoid what happened in 1993, he's gone because Gorbachev would likely retain control of the military, and he isn't going to step in to save a man he despises.

I still wonder what the international implications of a surviving USSR are. That is how it would affect foreign policy in both western and eastern europe as well as the US.
 
Very possible.

The USSR would likely have become an EU-like confederation (though closer to being a single state) whose political ideology would be something like that of OTL Sweden. The Baltic states were going to be cut loose no matter what though.

You can look at who OTL wasn't at all interested in the New Union Treaty--the Baltics (no surprise), Georgia and Armenia (no surprises there, either), and Moldova--for who won't join this. Russia and the Central Asian 'stans will for sure (the latter are too dependent on the former, and of course without the former there's no point).
 
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