IOTL, Tsar Alexander II Romanov of Russia was assassinated by anarchists in 1881. He was planning to turn Russia into a constitutional monarchy. After his death, his successor Alexander III curbed any further plans for democratization.
Alexander II's Russia was in an uneasily friendly relationship with the austro-german alliance.
But what if 'Alex had survived? Say, what if the anarchists heard of his democratization plans and decided not to go and kill him, what if Alex had decided not to parade that day, or what if their bombs failed to detonate?
-What would be the intranational political consequences? How democratic would this new Duma be? Would it be modeled more on the german or british system? How much would it be dominated by the upper social classes?
-And what would be the international, geopolitical consequences? With whom would Alexander's Russia feel more comfortable, the central powers, the french, the british, or nobody?
 
Bump.
I believe this newly created Duma's high magistrate (headed by the tsar) would be absed on the german system, with some autonomy put in place for Finland and Poland. But i'm not sure about Poland, i hear Alex II detested the poles.
GauchoBadger
 
If Tsar Alexander does institute a limited advisory legislature in the 1880's, that would still have a pretty major impact on the development on Russian politics, especially if the 1891 famine is handled differently.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
If Tsar Alexander does institute a limited advisory legislature in the 1880's, that would still have a pretty major impact on the development on Russian politics, especially if the 1891 famine is handled differently.
Indeed, one might wonder if the 1905 Revolution will be prevented in this TL. Of course, given Nicholas's general disregard for the Duma, I doubt that it would have been.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
IOTL, Tsar Alexander II Romanov of Russia was assassinated by anarchists in 1881. He was planning to turn Russia into a constitutional monarchy. After his death, his successor Alexander III curbed any further plans for democratization.
Alexander II's Russia was in an uneasily friendly relationship with the austro-german alliance.
But what if 'Alex had survived? Say, what if the anarchists heard of his democratization plans and decided not to go and kill him, what if Alex had decided not to parade that day, or what if their bombs failed to detonate?
-What would be the intranational political consequences? How democratic would this new Duma be? Would it be modeled more on the german or british system? How much would it be dominated by the upper social classes?
-And what would be the international, geopolitical consequences? With whom would Alexander's Russia feel more comfortable, the central powers, the french, the british, or nobody?
Basically, what we would see is a weak, ineffective Duma which is constantly undermined by the Tsar when it does something not to his liking. Indeed, we basically get the post-1905 Duma, but over 20 years earlier.

However, one good thing which might come as a result of this is that this Duma might get more powers in 1905-1906 due to it having already existed for 25 years by this point in time.
 
Would Alexander II push for the TSR?
Interesting question; my instinct says he'd be inclined to support the project, but considering (FWIG) the proposals didn't get a lot of attention prior to 1880, I may well be wrong about that.
Indeed, one might wonder if the 1905 Revolution will be prevented in this TL. Of course, given Nicholas's general disregard for the Duma, I doubt that it would have been.
What about Port Arthur and relations with Japan?
And of course, if there is no Russo-Japanese War (or more specifically, no Russian defeat in said war), then that likely prevents a 1905-Revolution as well; then again, if there's an alternate (possibly earlier) Great War, that might more than make up for such a butterfly.
 
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