Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi made a predictable move last week when he issued a decree granting himself broad powers above any court as the guardian of Egypt’s revolution. It was predictable because that’s what tyrants do: usurp power and quash opposition. But it was also unfortunate. After all, Egypt is widely regarded as the cradle of civilization and should be well past authoritarian rule.

The world largely credits the United States with perfecting the doctrine of checks and balances — the idea that liberty is best secured if political power is both divided and shared among distinct branches of government. However, the origins of the principle lay in antiquity, and that makes President Morsi’s recent power grab even more disappointing. The genesis of checks and balances is complicated, but it is a story the world needs to appreciate at this transformative moment in time.