The Blankenhorn Effect - again
A ha! This explains a lot (from the aforementioned "The Blankenhorn Effect").
"There are many ways in which to organize a democratic system. The U.S. system is among the least-emulated. Most democracies are parliamentary, where a ruling government (or coalition) has a fairly free hand, subject only to limits placed on it by a court."
His sections on Capitalism, Rule of Law, and Democracy are great reading for a libertarian like me. They make so much sense.