Custom Designed on Nostr: The Israelites initially had an anarchy (rules but no ruler). Actually, their ruler ...
The Israelites initially had an anarchy (rules but no ruler). Actually, their ruler was Jehovah - so no *human* ruler. The book of Judges records how that went over about 400 years. It went pretty much how other attempts went. As long as most people mostly kept the rules, it was great. (Disputes were settled via mutually agreeable judge. ) Capital punishment was public participation (stoning) after guilty verdict at the trial.
But every generation, most people would stop keeping the rules, and then recieved the Divine punishments promised in their contract/constitution. Usually, being conquered and forced to pay tribute to a foreign power got their attention, they would start to repent, and God would raise up a new leader.
Things kind of fell apart at the end over a capital punishment case. The accused was allegedly guilty of rape, murder, and "a man lying with a man as with a woman" (those were the rules their fathers voluntarily agreed to). But the town would not extradite the accused for trial, so 11 tribes sent soldiers to force extradition, but the tribe of Benjamin raised an army to oppose that - and it was full civil war over that extradition case.
Their constitution also provided an option for a constitutional monarchy (king had strict rules he was supposed to abide by). So we see how that sent for the next 490 years. (A few good kings, but mostly very bad ones.)
But every generation, most people would stop keeping the rules, and then recieved the Divine punishments promised in their contract/constitution. Usually, being conquered and forced to pay tribute to a foreign power got their attention, they would start to repent, and God would raise up a new leader.
Things kind of fell apart at the end over a capital punishment case. The accused was allegedly guilty of rape, murder, and "a man lying with a man as with a woman" (those were the rules their fathers voluntarily agreed to). But the town would not extradite the accused for trial, so 11 tribes sent soldiers to force extradition, but the tribe of Benjamin raised an army to oppose that - and it was full civil war over that extradition case.
Their constitution also provided an option for a constitutional monarchy (king had strict rules he was supposed to abide by). So we see how that sent for the next 490 years. (A few good kings, but mostly very bad ones.)