abbigail, I must say that you've mentioned interesting question. Here is my small answer for you.
I think that if we would a little bit simplify and make terse conclude from the whole Russian/Soviet History, then it would be a simple lesson to all other nations - "Please, do not repeat it!". Russians are kind people and they allowed their Tsars and Dictators to perform any "experiments" on them. Here are some examples.
Good Greek people long ago created Democracy. Not bad thing at all. People are free to choice their own destiny, elections, and so on. Maybe this would be a surprise for unprepared people, but Russians at certain times had their own Democracy (before Monarchy)! I'm talking about rich and prosperous Pskov and Novgorod Republics. Of course it was not Democracy in it's original meaning. It was more like a feudal states, but these states were fitted with election system, government and something like a parliament (Rus. Chamber). I didn't misspoke! Russians had in later Medieval times excellent example of Democracy, and could easily compared to the most developed European countries of that time. But......then was Ivan the III, typical Russian Tsar from Moscow, who destroyed all achievements of that people. Even today free Novgorod people, people of the Northern Scandinavian tradition remember, how Moscow Tsar Ivan the III bricked thousands of people, along with children and women under the ice.
And again, good Greek intelligent men created Monarchy (by the way Greek nation created almost all Government forms in the world!), also not bad thing at all. The balls, dancing girls, Kings, Queens, Grand Dukes, beautiful dinners in bright palaces, masquerades, different endless Palace's intrigues, and in addition, ordinary wars with the neighboring Empires. Not a bad life at all! But only Russians made this government form absolute and unbearable for the human life. First step was Ivan the Terrible. You know the last - July 17, 1918 and October of 1917.
And maybe the most clear example for an unprepared auditorium in this case would be Mr Marx. Intelligent man Marx just wrote an innocent book about equality of all people, freedom of the workers and other "interesting things". That was just an innocent book from an intelligent and rich German man, who was infected at that time with another annoying and endless Socialist movement of 19th century (as Dostoevsky for example). Nothing serious, book as a book. Germans and all other nations considered this interesting book something like an innocent joke, but not the Russians in 1917;). Only Russians decided to realize this book into the life. You know the results. Who do not know, can just open lists of millions repressed people from 1917 until Eighties. Very touching reading. "Name, nationality, for what repressed (main amount for nothing and later were rehabilitated by Khrushchev), family, death penalty or 10 years of Prisoner Camp, and innocent victim disappears forever, and so on".
These are not all possible examples, I've just mentioned only the most famous and clear for European people. Concluding, I must say maybe a little bit gross, but true words. Russians experienced on themselves all the possible government forms in the world, in all degrees and all possible examples. Millions of victims are the simple price for it, and I think Europeans should be very grateful for this human act of bravery. Now, for example, all sensible and intelligent people in the world know all the things that they need about book form Mr Marx (thanks to Russians and their experiment). Now Europeans know all about Absolute Monarchy and so on. But, we missed only one thing from this story - Russians. They are still, already in present times, when people in Europe live with established and clear Liberal and Democratic laws, are finding something different with their new Tsar (without any names;)). Maybe someday they will finally found what they need.
abbigail, I hope that I answered your question. Although very terse language, but anyway.
