When 2-3 men individually decide who is too dangerous, they are the checks and balances! Checks and balances are a naturally occurring phenomenon when a society is composed of individuals who are capable to look after their own interest but have some dependency on others. It's only the "civilized" world that loses this as everyone becomes subservient to the Government or the lovla Dictator and checks and balances are needed to be artificially reintroduced.