6 views of Law

I recently played a one-shot AD&D game.  After the scenario there were some comments about how it might have gone better if we had talked about alignments in the party before we played.  Maybe, I don't know, I don't think any of us would have played our characters differently if we had all talked about what alignment they were going to be ahead of time.

I do know that the comment got me thinking a bit more about the old AD&D alignment square.  In particular the Law vs Chaos axis.  That axis is a lot more interesting than the Good vs Evil axis.   So interesting that ultimately I came up with 6 different oppositions it could be used for.  Any of them could be characterized as 'Law' vs 'Chaos', and which one you think about has the a chance of changing your game.  So, you know, maybe the comment was right.

Trying to keep each definition short:

1. Law == existing social order.  Chaos == threats to that order, revolutionaries & reformers.
2. Law == having a explicit moral code.  Chaos == treating all situations as exceptional cases.
3. Law == predefined places in society.  Chaos == everyone is what they make of themselves
4. Law == culture of shame (public, social).  Chaos == culture of guilt (personal, individual)
5. Law == worldly, concrete concerns.  Chaos == spiritual, mystical, abstract concerns.
6. Law == civilization, progress, order, safety.  Chaos == wilderness, personal prowess, anarchy

I'm sure there are more dichotomies I could use.  

The last as maybe as close as I can come to the Moorcock-style Law vs Chaos of the original D&D where the Hero is the man who uses the tools of Chaos in order to bring a small measure of Law to others.