Nice try, but illogical.
If it's the "European enlightenment", then it's not exclusively Anglo, the postulated premise in this article. Them other guys sure sound French to me. Guess you're now saying it's the Franco Rule?
And sorry, but the American experiment was the first implementation of those concepts in a government. All them other guys just sat around theorizing. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people was a purely American invention.
"Government of the people, by the people, and for the people was a purely American invention."
Invented by men raised and educated in the Anglo, European Enlightenment tradition. Did you know that Voltaire and Jeffereson corresponded by letters?
I'm not trying to be rude, just to throw that out. I just think there is a fundamental disagreement on the role of theory in reality.
Without theory, in my opinion, nothing can happen in reality. It was John Locke's theory, among other European enlightenment writers, that influenced Thomas Jefferson.
And the French sounding names? Do you not know your history?
Why is it that we Americans are so ashamed of our Englightenment past/roots? It is always brushed aside, clearly downplayed if even mentioned. Why, is it too European for us rugged American individualists? It was one the greatest ages in history, that saw the two greatest Revolutions (American and French), Frederick the Great, Kant and Adam Smith, among so many other great men and achivements. Why shouldn't we be proud of the roots of our country's great and noble ideals? Why Jefferson is one of the Englightenment Greats! Why must we be ashamed?