How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"That's okay," she answered, her voice warm again. "Everybody does business with the Authority, we can't avoid it—and that's the trouble. That's what we're going to change."
We are, eh? I thought. Everybody does business with Authority for same reason everybody does business with Law of Gravitation. Going to change that, too? (2.35-36)
The problem with the Authority's rules and regulations are pointed out here: They can't be challenged in any way—everybody has to do business with them, and it's not freedom if you don't have any choice. But unlike the tyranny of gravity, the revolutionaries might be able to do something about the Authority.
Quote #2
"You are right that the Authority must go. It is ridiculous—pestilential, not to be borne—that we should be ruled by an irresponsible dictator in all our essential economy! It strikes at the most basic human right, the right to bargain in a free marketplace." (2.89)
The Authority doesn't just have rules—they're compared to a "dictator" here, squashing "the most basic human right," a.k.a. the free market. Them's fighting words, that's for sure.
Quote #3
"True. But I will accept any rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know what I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." (6.55)
The novel isn't suggesting there isn't a place for any rules. That would make for a, if you'll pardon the pun, very unruly world. It's just saying that the rules you live by are for you to decide.
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…
Quote #7
Nevertheless was chance to talk and Prof treated them as if [Lunar Authority] had power to recognize Luna's independence and willingness to do so. While they treated us as a cross between naughty children and criminals up for sentencing. (16.59)
The Loonies overthrow the Warden and Security Chief Alvarez, and everything is hunky-dory, right? Except they need to convince the Federated Nations to acknowledge them as a free state, and seeing how they just broke a bunch of their laws… that's an uphill battle.
Quote #8
So he photographed it and next morning they did come right into our hotel suite and woke me before time and did arrest me and take me away wheel chair and all and did lock me in a cell with bars! For bigamy. For polygamy. For open immorality and publicly inciting others to same. (18.140)
One man's law is another man's not law. And that's another issue this novel takes with rules and laws. Mannie has a perfectly legal marriage on Luna, but in North America, people don't take too kindly to that kind of thing.
Quote #9
A code of laws was being drafted; civil and criminal courts would be instituted for benefit of "client-employees"—which meant all persons in trust area, not just consignees with uncompleted sentences. Public schools would be established, plus indoctrinal adult schools for client-employees in need of same. (19.10)
For this law to work, it has to label the kind of person that falls underneath it. In other words, the law decides what kind of person the Loonies will be rather than letting the Loonies decide this for themselves. It's like being stuck with an awful nickname for the rest of your life, only one with legal consequences.
Quote #10
But Prof underrated yammerheads. They never adopted any of his ideas. Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden. (30.29)
The Loonies win the revolution, become a free state, and banish laws and rules from the Moon forever. Except they don't. Instead, they begin instituting rules and laws all over again. It's the circle of life.