To add a little bit more, if Saruman had not turned to "evil" there would be no reason for Gandalf to recieve a "power boost," and come back after dying in his fight with the Balrog.
As Fordim points out "Gandalf was as Saruman should have been." And if Saruman stayed the right course and had not left the "path to wisdom," then Eru would have no reason to send Gandalf back:
Quote:
For in his condition it was for him a sacrifice to perish on the Bridge in defence of his companions, less perhaps than for a mortal Man or Hobbit, since he had a far greater inner power than they; but also more, since it was a humbling and abnegation of himself in conformity to 'the Rules': for all he could know at that moment he was the only person who could direct the resistance to Sauron successfully, and all his mission was vain. He was handing over to the Authority that ordained the Rules, and giving up personal hope of success....
That I should say is what the Authority wished, as a set-off to Saruman. The 'wizards', as such, had failed; or if you like: the crisis had become too grave and needed an enhancement of power. So Gandalf sacrificed himself, was accepted, and enhanced, and returned. [...]He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure.~Letter 156
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When Gandalf battles the balrog he's putting his entire task, and fate of Middle-earth on the line. In the Fellowship he is the only one who could have stopped the Balrog, but with Saruman turning to bad, he was the only Istari left that could complete the task and help Middle-earth against Sauron. The Istari were sent by the Vala, and when they "failed" (except for Gandalf) Eru took up the plan and enhanced Gandalf's abilities because he was the only one of the Istari that would be able to complete the task. And it was to counter Saruman.
Had Saruman not gone bad, there would be no reason to send back Gandalf, because Saruman would be the one doing what Gandalf had done when he returned as "Gandalf the White."
I will say if Saruman had not gone "bad," it probably would have made the people's of Middle-earth's lives a lot easier.
