Nozick's Entitlement Theory, Libertarian Rights and the Minimal State

Robert Nozick in his famous book Anarchy, State and Utopia (1974) responded to, in part, John Rawls' distribution theory as articulated in the latter's much celebrated book A Theory of Justice (1971) with the former's entitlement theory. Nozick calls Rawls' distribution theory a patterned theory. To Nozick, no distribution is just and there should not be redistribution at all. Redistribution infringes individual's rights which, according to Nozick, trumps all other considerations and subject matters. In Nozick's view, individual rights are all that matters and that there is nothing such as a society or community or collective well-being. In line with this course of arguments, Nozick falls just short of supporting anarchy but the all-encompassing individualism that he propagates only allows for the existence of the minimal state which he regards as the only legitimate form of state which does not violate individual's rights. This book sheds light particularly on entitlement theory of justice, libertarian rights, individualism and the minimal state and evaluates them from a critical perspective.