Most likely to survive to the present in early 1900: AH Empire, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire

Most likely to survive to the present: Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire

  • Austria-Hungary most likely to survive, Russian Empire in the middle, Ottoman Empire least likely

    Votes: 11 26.8%
  • AH most likely, OE in middle, RE least likely

    Votes: 2 4.9%
  • OE most likely, RE in the middle, AH least likely

    Votes: 4 9.8%
  • OE most likely, AH in the middle, RE least likely

    Votes: 5 12.2%
  • RE most likely, AH in the middle, OE least likely

    Votes: 10 24.4%
  • RE most likely, OE in the middle, AH least likely

    Votes: 9 22.0%

  • Total voters
    41
Three of four Great Empires to be destroyed by WWI. Given their internal issues and external issues, if we avoid or delay WWI at least a handful of years, which is most likely to survive to the present?

What surviving means is admittedly kind of hard to define, I’m not defining survive as meaning they cannot make any reforms or that they have to keep all territory, but at least keeping most(ish) of it, and avoiding a completely 180 like Tsarist Russia to the Soviet Union is mostly what I have in mind.

Also, out of three, would you root for? ;)
 
Austria-Hungary gets a lot of bad rep, but in the end it took millions of casualties and an utter defeat in a world war to destroy the Hapsburgs. They were the only empire of the three that actually gained new territory in 1900s.

At the same time Russia had defeat against Japan, suicide bomber attacks and wide internal unrest, while the Ottomans were caught up in a spiral of defeats and insurgencies.

All three had decent chances to muddle through without the world war, though.
 
Ottoman Empire

It had probably best chances. It had much of internal problems but it could reform itself altough it might eventually lost some areas. OE could even survive if CPs win the Great Wa.r In OTL Ottoman monarchy lasted some years after WW1 so why not in CP victory world. And there was some reforms ongoing before WW1.

Austria-Hungary

It had much of internal problems and the empire was very multiethnic. It might survive in CP victory world if government makes enough of reforms. And even OTL A-H begun collapse very end of WW1.

Russoan Empire

It would need some miracle or at least Nicholas II should leave frame very early. Nicholas II was absolute and authotarian ruler who was unable see problems in his empire and make any reforms. In Russia was much of social problems, the country was lowly industrialised and very backward. And there was much of ethnic tensions. Even without WW1 or if WW1 ends already in 1916 to Entente victory saving of Russian Empire would be very difficult at least so long when Nicholas II is around.
 
The only reason I think the Russian Empire could last the longest is because nations will be more timid to involve themselves unless Russia is going through a large revolution and a civil war. Preferably both. Russia can get away with more unrest then the other two empires because the other great powers fear them more and sometimes depend on them as an ally(France doesn’t want Germany to expand east and become more powerful). The ottomans and Austria-Hungary have to worry about the great powers involving themselves in their domestic issues more so then Russia. If the Ottomans never did a Russian level pogrom to Christian minorities or even Jews during peacetime the great powers would step in. Austria-Hungary always has to worry about pan-German elements in Germany and maybe even at home taking advantage of a weakening empire. The Ottomans and Austria-Hungary could get the African treatment if they become too unstable. Where all the great powers come together and decide how to partition and split up the place. It’s a lot easier to do that to those two empires then it is Russia. Also without the world wars growing European empires will be looking to expand.
 
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