And the French. It's not like Haiti is a model nation.
In my opinion, it was the British (and to some extent the Roman) idea that the Law was more important than men, even the King. The US combined this with increased individual liberty and saw great prosperity. Canada, Australia, and even India became very livable places because the law was clear and generally applied impartially. It is much easier to prosper in a world where you know the rules. Sadly it seems that Britain and all it’s former possessions have forgotten this.