It was inevitable that, given how the constitution was designed to prevent a majority from emerging, the US would end up where it is today, a plutocracy. The only remedy against the political power that comes from great wealth is a vigorous democracy.
Of course, democracy is in a weakened state in Europe as well:
Ruling the Void? The Hollowing of Western Democracy
But at least European countries are not subject to the corrupting effects of running an empire. A bomb, H bomb, Minuteman / The names get more attractive / The decisions are made by NATO / The press call it British opinion -- The Three Johns
The start of capitalism depends on the definition, with some definitions it well predates Absolutism.
It is hard for despots to be enlightened and progress-minded if they have to deal with powerful monied interests.
Absolutism was a restoration of royal power against both powerful feudal and monied interests. Earlier kings were already dependent on bankiers to fight their wars. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Democracy, by and large, was a convenient ideology to foment a revolution when the plutocrats and the nobility ceased to be coterminous.
Liberty and freedom and individual inalienable rights and all that jazz just piggybacked on that trend.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
