Alternative history

[Rambhutan]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

[Mike the Progressive]

I really dislike alternative history discussions as there is no practical purpose to them. Events didn't come into play that way, so to what point do we think, discuss and debate about them? What if the South won? What if the Roman Empire was still around today? And so on. Completely useless.

[Sungai Pusat]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

Not really, unless the attitude was different for both sides. And like Mike said, the whole discussion of it is not really able to be used as those events already happened.

[Syreene states]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

Not that I can think of. But if you go here they might be able to help you out.

I really dislike alternative history discussions as there is no practical purpose to them. Events didn't come into play that way, so to what point do we think, discuss and debate about them? What if the South won? What if the Roman Empire was still around today? And so on. Completely useless.

Meh, It's a hobby of mine, and isn't this entire site completely useless as well, when you actually think about it?

[Alien Space Bats]

No.

Take it from me.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

If I recall right a lot of Marxists had Germany lined up as one of the most likely places for revolution in the early twentieth century. Whenever Germany gets a big idea you better start warplane construction so a revolutionary war in Western Europe could be feasible. America? In the event of a revolution there you'd probably have been talking anarcho-syndicalism rather than state communism. Never really studied Russia or China back when I was doing history so out of ideas there.

[South Lorenya]

If Ogedei lived longer, it's entirely possible that the mongols would have conquered most or all of europe; that would change everything, and may lead to a world like what you said.

[Risottia]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

Communist Europe and America: yes.
Capitalist Russia and China: yes.

Now BOTH simultaneously is a bit more tricky... maybe we should get back to WW1.
Let's see...

October Revolution fails, bolsheviks are ousted and its leaders escape => Russia gets pwned even more by the Central Empires in the first months.
Revolution happens in Central Europe in early 1918 as Entente and Centrale Empires soldiers decide they've had enough of that shit (expecially on the Western and Italian fronts), turn their weapons on their officers and march on the cities. Workers strike all over Central and Western Europe. European Socialists (Russian emigrè bolsheviks) seize power. In three months, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Serbia begin building socialist countries.
Not being attacked by the Empires anymore, the Kerenskij cabinet slowly begins rebuilding Russia.
British soldiers get back to Britain, try to spark revolution in Britain but are beaten.
1929 crisis - both USA and Britain cannot export to the European continental countries (which have become a Socialist Federation), economical shitstorm, strikes, revolts: harsh repression, local and european socialists organize the masses; Britain becomes socialist (the British Empire, though, continues in its colonies), Civil War II in America with eventual victory of the socialists who control the cities and the factories, expecially in the Eastern US - while the capitalist side controls the less-industrialized parts of the US.

[Rambhutan]

Is there a credible chain of historical events that would have resulted in the 1950s with a communist western Europe and America, and a capitalist Russia and China?

Communist Europe and America: yes.
Capitalist Russia and China: yes.

Now BOTH simultaneously is a bit more tricky... maybe we should get back to WW1.
Let's see...

October Revolution fails, bolsheviks are ousted and its leaders escape => Russia gets pwned even more by the Central Empires in the first months.
Revolution happens in Central Europe in early 1918 as Entente and Centrale Empires soldiers decide they've had enough of that shit (expecially on the Western and Italian fronts), turn their weapons on their officers and march on the cities. Workers strike all over Central and Western Europe. European Socialists (Russian emigrè bolsheviks) seize power. In three months, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Serbia begin building socialist countries.
Not being attacked by the Empires anymore, the Kerenskij cabinet slowly begins rebuilding Russia.
British soldiers get back to Britain, try to spark revolution in Britain but are beaten.
1929 crisis - both USA and Britain cannot export to the European continental countries (which have become a Socialist Federation), economical shitstorm, strikes, revolts: harsh repression, local and european socialists organize the masses; Britain becomes socialist (the British Empire, though, continues in its colonies), Civil War II in America with eventual victory of the socialists who control the cities and the factories, expecially in the Eastern US - while the capitalist side controls the less-industrialized parts of the US.

Interesting scenario. The one I had in my head began with the French Revolution taking a slightly different turn.

[Risottia]

Communist Europe and America: yes.
Capitalist Russia and China: yes.

Now BOTH simultaneously is a bit more tricky... maybe we should get back to WW1.
Let's see...

October Revolution fails, bolsheviks are ousted and its leaders escape => Russia gets pwned even more by the Central Empires in the first months.
Revolution happens in Central Europe in early 1918 as Entente and Centrale Empires soldiers decide they've had enough of that shit (expecially on the Western and Italian fronts), turn their weapons on their officers and march on the cities. Workers strike all over Central and Western Europe. European Socialists (Russian emigrè bolsheviks) seize power. In three months, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Serbia begin building socialist countries.
Not being attacked by the Empires anymore, the Kerenskij cabinet slowly begins rebuilding Russia.
British soldiers get back to Britain, try to spark revolution in Britain but are beaten.
1929 crisis - both USA and Britain cannot export to the European continental countries (which have become a Socialist Federation), economical shitstorm, strikes, revolts: harsh repression, local and european socialists organize the masses; Britain becomes socialist (the British Empire, though, continues in its colonies), Civil War II in America with eventual victory of the socialists who control the cities and the factories, expecially in the Eastern US - while the capitalist side controls the less-industrialized parts of the US.

Interesting scenario. The one I had in my head began with the French Revolution taking a slightly different turn.

I see your drift... but I think that would have been quite too early. What about the 1848 movements?

[Rambhutan]

I see your drift... but I think that would have been quite too early. What about the 1848 movements?

Ah that makes much more sense, perfect timing as the idea had arrived.

[Risottia]

I see your drift... but I think that would have been quite too early. What about the 1848 movements?

Ah that makes much more sense, perfect timing as the idea had arrived.

Coupling nationalist revival with democratic movements, and maybe a Neo-Luddite resurgence in Britain...