[theapportioner]

Our Constitution is based in part on English common law, and the reforms stemming from the Glorious Revolution in England (and the ideas arising from nasty times preceding that), but it was largely considered the great Enlightment experiment since Jefferson et al. were blazing new trails. And they did fail, initially, with the Articles of Confederation.

Parliamentary governments, I've noticed, tend to be more vigorous democracies. I think it's more than just cultural differences.