The Political Philosophy of Robert Nozick

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Reasons for Choosing the Topic .......................................................................... 1

1.2 Relevance of the Topic ........................................................................................ 2

1.3 Life and Works of Robert Nozick ........................................................................ 3

1.4 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. 3

1.5 Structure of the Paper .......................................................................................... 4

2. THE STATE ............................................................................................................. 5

2.1 Nozick‟s Libertarianism ...................................................................................... 5

2.2 Between Anarchy and State ................................................................................. 6

2.3 The Minimal State ............................................................................................... 6

2.3.1 Protective Associations ................................................................................. 7

2.3.2 The Dominant Protective Association .......................................................... 9

2.3.3 Is Dominant Protective Association a State? .............................................. 10

2.3.4 Defending the Minimal State ...................................................................... 10

2.3.4.1 The Lockean Predicament.................................................................... 11

2.3.4.2 The Invincible Hand Explanation and the Rise of Minimal State ....... 11

3. NOZICK’S THEORY OF RIGHTS .................................................................... 13

3.1 Foundation of Nozick‟s Theory of Rights ......................................................... 13

3.1.1 Individual Rights ......................................................................................... 13

3.1.2 Inviolable Rights ......................................................................................... 14

3.1.3 Self Defence and Punishment ..................................................................... 16

3.2 Distributive Justice and the Minimal State ........................................................ 16

3.2.1 The Entitlement Theory of Justice .............................................................. 17

3.2.1.1 Justice in Acquisition ........................................................................... 18

3.3.1.2 Justice in Transfer ................................................................................ 19

3.3.1.3 Rectification of Injustice ...................................................................... 20

4. THE UTOPIA ........................................................................................................ 22

4.1 The Design Device and the Filter Device .......................................................... 23

4.2 How Utopia Works Out ..................................................................................... 24

4.3 Utopia and the Minimal State ............................................................................ 25

5. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................... 26

5.1 Summary of the Paper ........................................................................................ 26

5.2 Critical Appraisal ............................................................................................... 27

5.3 Insight from this Topic ...................................................................................... 28

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 31