No- the Caliphate as an institution relied, in the beginning, on relations (by blood or otherwise) to Muhammad or to a previous Caliph. Once you have the Banu Umayya hijack things, its all over. Besides, the whole Sunni-Shia-Kharijite splitting really sort of ruined the "all Muslims" vibe of the Caliphal institution. There never would have been a "democratic Caliphate"- its like asking for a truly democratic Renaissance Papacy.
It may never become a Democracy but it could survive as an ogliarchy, no?
Because of what you posted before about that one author?....and that what we know as Islam only really began to crystallise around the year 700.
Because of what you posted before about that one author?