Were vs Was

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emsr2d2

The Civil Rights movement has happened. It's over. (Please don't take that as a political statement!)

The Civil Rights movement was successful. Had it not been successful, the world would be a very different place.
The Civil Rights movement was successful. If it had not been successful, the world would be a very different place.

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NOT A TEACHER

I understand this represents the "the third mixed conditional". However I have to say, that I do not find it in any ordinary course of grammar. Why?

It's commonly described- the past condition + present result is in most descriptions of mixed conditionals that I know.

Is there a difference in meaning between "the past condition+present result" type of conditional and the plain third conditional? In other words, do, "If it had not been successful, the world would be a very different place." and, "If it had not been successful, the world would have been a very different place.'' mean different things? If they do, what is that difference?

"If it had not been successful (in the past), the world would be a very different place (now, in the present."

"If it had not been successful (in the past), the world would have been a very different place (in the past).''

Thank you very much, James. This does clear things up further.