The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Rules and Order Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Once Alvarez got them, he posted a twenty-four-hour watch at every interwarren tube station and instituted passports and passport control. Would have been illegal had there been laws in Luna, since 95 percent of us were theoretically free, either born free, or sentence completed. […].
But passport system was not "illegal" as Warden's regulations were only written law. (9.12-13)

Loonies don't have laws, but they do have customs. What's the difference? Customs are decided by the people who live by them, but remain unspoken and are never written down. Laws are written by a few people and forced upon others.

Quote #5

"You new citizens, transportees sweating out sentences pronounced on you Earthside—you are free, your sentences are finished! But in the meantime I hope that you will go on working. You are not required to—the days of coercion are gone—but you are urged to." (14.71)

With Luna now a free state, it decides that the Authority's and Federated Nations' laws no longer apply. The prisons could throw the door wide open and escape—even though many of those doors are already wide open.

Quote #6

Rules, laws—always for other fellow. (14.139)

And here's the rub: Laws are designed by people to be forced upon other people. No one ever creates a law to keep themself from doing something, after all. At least, we don't think they do…