Why do you think that rules can only exist in the context of there being rulers?
Are the only rules that can exist, laws?
I had a similar conversation with Sue Venable and presented an example of making up games.
"Everyone is exempt from the rules because of autonomy. They are not however, exempt from the consequences of breaking them. Autonomy is a fact of existence.
I'm pretty sure there are rules against most of those things, but they aren't enforced against them by the people who are supposed to hold them accountable."