Taking the term "Soviet" by its literal meaning here (Council) If democracy was to arise in the former Russian empire, would it prevent the rise of the cold war? Of course for there to even be the idea of a cold war between the West and the East I would assue that WWII still has to occur at some point? The question ultimately relates to the development of Nuclear weapons, if both the western powers and the "SU" have them would the still be an unease between them? Or would be just a sort of international rivalry in the same brand of US-UK?