Natural Law versus Judicial Law

Shadow Country’s contrast between natural law and judicial law presents a unique platform to consider complex concepts such as justice, morality, and ethics. This division between natural law and government-enforced law is primarily explored in the confrontation between rural citizens and law enforcement.

The Harden family commonly reflects upon this division of justice because the American government's interests is in opposition to their family’s lifestyle. While neglecting to file a land claim for their property, Owen Harden posits distrust in government run systems: “We was dodging the whole damn government, county, state, and federal, don’t make no difference . . . we never cared if the whole world passed us by” (97). Owen is content to live life according to his own code of conduct rather than register with, and abide by, a government that actively works against his personal and ancestral value...