In this book Wildavsky takes Moses, and the reader, through a sequence of political experiences: Through the biblical text, we experience unrestricted monarchy (in Egypt), anarchy (in the wilderness prior to the giving of the law), and an egalitarian republic-in which Moses is little more than the first among equals. At each step, there are evident reasons that Moses, as political leader, cannot continue under the burden of the precedeeding regime, so that we are led to the conclusion that he has no choice but to adopt the, hierarchical arrangement of the rule of Moses as balanced by the assembly of elders-or a limited monarchy.