ROBERT

NOZICK

Robert Noz ick {1938) is a contempora

ry Ame rica n philosopher. Robert Nashi
mpo.n.tn1co nuttu 1on1 -" lhe f1tld ot ta1•( k has mad e
Lbtrt
an.,, ) fol:l- wng ar-e\t'le rnport.-.1 dNS
of Rober t Nob.

state view

(\l: lae All DIii ... ..,

Robert Nozick. in his fam ous work 'Ana
rchy, State and Utopia' (Anarchy, Sta te
Uropsa, 1974). has interpreted Locke's state theo and
ry on a new context Like Locke, Robert Nash
lk also supported
the rights of individuals In the State of Natu
re. According to Robert Nozicl(, socH!ly and
were created lo protect natural rights. The the Slate
center of thinking of Robert Nolik is the indiv
lhe state, he has g\'l!l'I inlX Jrta ~ to the rig1ls idual and not
of the in<fMdual. According to his view, the
or duties for any other com mun ity. The S181e has no rights
y have leg1timaey in so far as they are
voluntary groups
of Individuals, not because they serve the
welfare of their membe<s.
~ , Robert No zic k's theory of jus tice

(flo bM No dd !'• n. oi , of Jul&ICtl)

Robert Nozick is an indivldua11s~c hberal think
er of the 20th century. Roben Nozick has supported
meritocracy theory of Justice. the

Rob ert Noz ick in his fam ous boo k Ana

rch y. Sta te and Uto pia (Anarchy. Sta te And
Utopia) has denied the theory of dist ribu
tive just ice. He presented a pow erfu l
defi nitio n of the
minimal state in his book 'Anak. State and Ut()l)
la'. Robert No:zick has p10Yed through hls reas
oning power
that a fully competitive society Is a JuS1 sod
ety. He has ~a siz ed that freedom and
given more Importance. He has also que equalrty rrus t be
stio ned the co nce pt of soc ial just ice
and the role of the
liberal state. He has ~e, efy criticiZed the
concept that Justice lies in the redistribution
of wealth
and in bringing about economic equality.
He opposed the pofldes of progressive taxes. Acc
economic and social equality cannot be esta ording to him
blished in the society and he has also e<np
hasized that
freedom sho uld not be hindered by soc
ial and eco nom c equ ality. Robert NoZ
ick has criti cize d the
government's policy of providing public hea
lth facilities, educat100 and mni rrum S1a
He says that the people who have more wea ndard of frv1ng.
lth and property should redistribute the wea
lth on their
own free wil~ but the state should not have
any nght to redistribute because it violates
the freedom
of the rich. In his society. a person has to
get rewards only on the basis of his merit.
Following are the main
feat ures of Robert Nozick's theory of juS1ice·
1 . His tori cal Prin cipl e of Jus tice - Rob
ert Noz ick in his fam ous boo k
'Anarchy, State and Uto pia' has given the
pre sen t st atu s of Ind ivid ual Property.
1!0

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l ~NOZICI( ISi

I J0Of'Ol,lt JU!SlC~ • Ml DHnM9U!'dw1 II a p,,ru:in NS ~ '111 ptopetl)' Qt.tty., 1he PHI. U\11 11 1M! ddnol otilM\

.property by dl1h o nts-ty, mianipuhlllon and useortorot• lhen 111a1 prop-

•··, Should b e oo 0 -..C!l'IN
~ i..1 .___.· •
as aJUsl propeny. But
If i1 Pf!flO" has oblaled p,optny b; de:ft a'\d dah61'iffly in the Pati l then n;,sta has h:appened i, ihe PHI
t)«lalse ohhat.

Robert Nozick soys 1h01 II oll 1he unjusl and wr()Ojls of the pas1 ore removed, ih<!n many typecs ot
dt5Pul et and problem.1 willariM,, thesocil!ty Thle's why he has aSXed 10 IOtve lhis-problem, Tha1,i G

rlgh1 l o make l he p,operry equitable by doing Reclifica1lon ol 1he property. The,elo,e, acco,dlng 10
lt>bm Noliclc. thenght ofthepsson who cunenlly owns the l)I01)<Jty ,llould be ossumoo. so that disputes can
bea<Joided,
2. The State should perform minimum works- According to Robert
No~ ev8Y p,non Is mtitled to n,celvo mww, oceo,ding to his ""'1L &,1 this Is possible only t the
state works at least. The function of the state is to maintain peace and order and It should not
flt«le,e ri the flllli)( sociit ft'ligiouS. cullu'3 .nd economic affolr:s o/ .r, f!dMdual. In allth.,., «eas o pe,,;oo
should get frel>dom. Hedoc$nOI aocepl thal the~,llould lmposemoretJxf<Son the ridl 10,,._, the•,.-
sections. According to Robert Nozick, the work of the state is not to raise the standard of living
of the poor nor to make the rich less rich, that Is. It Is no( the work of the state to r8f'Jl0Ye
economic ntquallllfS or disparities.
3. Slate Is rrerely a watchman - Like Herbert Spencer, Robert Nozick has considered
.,.. stat• only as o police stale whooo main I\Jnction IS ID provide securily ID . . C1titcn • IJ'1d ID ,nai,tain law
and orde<. The importanc fu,ctton ol lhe state Is to protec1 people r«m murder, theli daroity etc. Thal
1s. it Is ti'le !unction ol the stale to pr01ect the nghl to lile and property of the citizens. Rd>ert NoZld<
emphoscud lhe qnC'llly of contri.cu and says that ndustry an-cl tradeureno1 po"tlll,wt1hou100-ntrac1.S.

4. Distribution AcOO'dln!) to Entitlement· Accorcing to Roben NOZick. It Is justice

for we,y pCltiOn 10 get bfflef1l$ from theSOc:iM)' aocordng to h is mC!ftl or hiS conlrbuhon. lhat is, 1htiperson should

oet the some rewad ashewori<s. Therreedomofthe ildivdullf af\OOI be"'O«I fol the solceof l'QUalily. -
NOuk hid s:upported theoompetflNemarkec andconside«I men1111 lhtcrrt\"00n 0 1,-,,110t. It the stalfg ives

equal u.'M'.a«:IS to ~wrlhoul bokn9 at the person's mert. thefl II wfll hUn the ~n'• ll'l)ullllon and u.lfnl and he
w,I.Ikeless i,te-est n wotulg m,d this wJ naease lhenumba ol !!~mp~enl ulfttt and _,., P«'Plt

n lhtsocitt)'. Thselore. axord..-.g to Robef'l Naushic. llwould beun~•• not LU rcwlltd I p«ton .oc.cotd11g to hrs

mett.
5. supports Competitive Market System - Robert Nozick has supported the
competrt,vemarket.. He says lhata person should get rewards acoordng to menl ilnd what a person w• get
wilbed<.'la!med i1 lhec:ompetitivc ,,....,._. iself_The hiQherthequalI,cation m '"""11 of ape-son, theh,ghe<
the reward t,e will gel becaUSe the higher the demand fc, tis qualification in the market -"<:<:O'<ing lo
RobM Nashtt. If rhe s-1a1egN~ re\'atdS w1tt'lout IOokrlg ai rhe merit or the person, then• wlGiNW di51Ppon1merH

in 1111! qualified PffiOO 111d tt,eywffl stOl) ""19 nlereSI in tlis W'011< whid1 wf """°"" thenumber ofunr,1.
6. No Remarks to the Undeserving - Robert Nozick has considered the concept of
sociaiiJ•tice,,_,ngle5S 1>'1d otJ1JOoed a. He hos cnt- pJl'(f,f oon«ll' ol'von•I« P8f0fft. """"'1!ing
10 No~ I•ne state shoukt not 911ft .,., ho~ lo the unworthy pd"SOn a,d lheptnon who does nol deserve

the awn st,ould no1 Qet fl, Accord no to Roberft Nouck. th~ is no JUst/~n for the state to provide housng,
,duarlioO, med io01 cmc un<mpioymen l lllioWlllCO. eic. lo the pc,o,: accoolil9 IO him M!I'f thll!l itld properly

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 ·~
,, is lhe rosull Of . person's
~ RN S wt S l FRN PO l I l lt,A.1 f~
hmd wol1<. h" ""' lht per.ao
t,l' I •~~ ,i-. rl~
n has1hel1QN on ii and I
is
CJ U{ ~f FM • f8

1he <M ya l .,. _, IO l)n>

A M if U lr ,

p,n orl s """ "5' Y· R,i,e,t No l<!Cl 1he

-h as ookod !ho quoslion lha

l
c:o lKl ilg tD " m>fflthtd l - ,s 1he),$D l011ion b ~ u,o l)OO
ne Nl ng pl!Ople o fth e s.oc f llld lhe-1>1'
lety ? It It not the job o, the
hO u.M \g, un em pt o~ ala t•lo
pro-vld t educat on, t)e Nh
, alowance. old age pen sio n etc
hin wl th.en h1 th0 \Jd go
It a poo , UeJIOn can not affo
td adu cal lon and me dlc
loc hantab._ .eh oo • 1n oh tfft C..
o~ llal1 run by lhe fieh and
U.. sttr e lhey sho uld not bto em eab
utd .no n
7. Rig ht to Property Ro
bert Nozick ha s su pp or
him. It is unjust to inl )o se ted th e rig ht to property.
aff1 kind of restriction According to
Noz,ck. every person has or fin it on the ri!,tit of property
an absolute right to his pre . .Accading to
wh at he earns on th e ba sent wealth and he also ha
sis of his abilrty. Acco rd s an absolute riOht to
levy as much taX as Is ne ing to him, th e governme
cessary f<>< 1he ~e cu nty of nt ha s th e right to
The government has no rig 1he c ou nll )' ano to maintain
ht 10 tax the rich to do so law and order.
i""'1()Sltion of llll<es for the cial welfare wOII< . Roben
pupose of social welfare. No zick opposes 1he
8. Each in di \iw al is an
end in it se
lf· According to Robert
nat11e and ha s 1he ability Nozick, man Is free
ar.i lntelllgenee to ds tll"
9's h be t- .i good and bad ll'f
courageous and ha s other . II a person Is lnrell lQt'nt. tal
quohties II he ls the <MOe< entocl
a person wi ll get deperids then he ha s the freedom to
on his qualification. The mo use tho se prope rtie s. How much
re qualified a person Is, the
de ma nd an d th e greater greater will be his
wlll be his
re wa rd . Tony Walton wr
Un co mp ro mi sing lndlvi rtes, "Nozick. by resortin
duallsm, ha s tried to ex g to
right to propeny and It Is us pla in th at th e indrvidual ha s an unlimite
eless to claim that the pro d
be treated as common assecs perty of one person belongs
to the whole society."
.
9. M ai n Components of
Entitlement Th eo ry - Ro
meritocracy theory has ttw bert Nozic k's
ee main c~ts•
Q) Firsl my body, all my abiliti
es and my wealth are m,.
Second. I have full right ov property. (ii)
er my property, the per.;on
There is a private right to can buy, use and dispose
give and sell al the property.
to anyone. (111) Thirdly. no
person has the right to tak
any person deprives me of e away the p,openy of an
m,. property a1ega11y. I have rM other person. If
!fY ri!td to take legal actioo
hi m . Ev against
al ua tio n of Robert No zic
k's Theory of Ju st ice
(E118'uatlon of Robert N
o1kk's Theory of Justic
lndi\/KLlallsts and merito e)
cracists have opposed the welfare state on the
Nozld t is In favor ol apply
ing basis of JJSlice. Robert
natural laws as they ore. Au
ha s been criticized on th thoritarian theory or m«itocraey the o,y
e fol low ing gr ou nd s· ol JU S1 ~
1. First. the author ita , an
1MOf)'of Juslice considers
the 111te as a P<>IICe sU
the present tim es. Ro btn lte which cannot be ac c~
Nozic
k has emphasized the ne td in
Slate is a posttive state. At gative nature of the state
presenl the state is conside whueas the modem
red welfare and all the demo
It is a welfare state. cialic states oft he world

I. "'Nozidt pll NI D llli•

aia bli dl the np u of ifld line of tbouglll lbr oll lh, Ill u1100tiijriumish111 inJlvid
lvidualiffli over ""°"
In d to >how that 1he n111i,M uall>111 whicll MknijilS
1 of c:ummon a.. et, is an ltr ~ ~
lli ilb k,

Trans la te d w it h ~•~ G
oogle Lens
 2. Sooond. Robert Nashik has ccnsidered social Justice as futile ard futile. which Is Ml correct. Al
p<llS81t efforu,""' being 11-..leto _ , ,oeiol i,Jstico In almost all tM Slllll!S. Sodol justice is neoth5 futilo nor
unimport.ant. ProQfess and Pf09fess of 1he society con be done by establiohing social Justice.

3. Third. Acootdlng to this principle, the state should not do the work or education. medicine.
housing ;and helping the poor. bA U..s concept does nOI match v.;th the welfare stale. l'cCOl'ding 10 Robert
Nlll""-poopleolpoormd-oedionssnouldootocharruillehOSl)lmmdodloolsbottMnumbcrof
dunab\t ,c:hools. i!nd hospuD IS IO ins that then~1orweak and poor peoplec1nnot befulf1le:I . ApQl'l f,om

tl-.s, tt ls 111ust lo leaYe the poor aod lhe weak Bl lhe me,ey and mercy of the rich. /lccepling chaf•ly er
alms hurtS a person's self-<espect, but when a person receives the same thing as a righl his morale
ge<stii1'
4. F-ounh. Mondsts have seve-re-ly c11tlcl1cd Robert Nozick·s 1heOl'y of justice. Marxists have divided the

present SOOl!t/ llto IWO dooseS-

1"° caprtmt Clau ond.., wcrv,gctassA(alnlr,g toAobffl - o.., cao11ab11t dost..., ...,..,.,tated 1lS -
1 thrOugh 1tS ab~ l"llt!ligenoe 111nd hofd wo1't,. whle M.-..s11 hl'ft Q'lticaed this id,..a beaiuM IOC:Otdi'lg 10 Marxasts.

capllalis'lS becOrne rich by e,cpiolling worker;.

S. ~ifih. Robert Na§lk hBS lned lOOl)illeCXlllfllsion b y ~ 1M 1$:I\IQ of rcdiS1JiMJlion of body pons e, lhe'e
Is no equivalence between redlst1ibutlon or body parts and redistribution ol wealth.
6. Sh<th. Robert Nolick has forgotten the p.dlc Interest by supporting the 11'11miled ri!#>I to property.
The property or a person can be acquired by the ga,errment ror public interest.
conc1U.$1on. The impartance of RobHt NoZick's theory of justice lies in the fact that in it the principle

ofment hoobeM con..,_ oo111ecrilmon of i,Jslicr.nodoubt """"'°"

st,oulll t,erew,tded acx,onl'1Q to h15
merit. but he says that the pOOf and the weak of the stat e Sho1.J1d not help is not correct. The practlco~e
lheory of JUsbCe cannot so._.e tht pfe'Sdll problffl\S of "'e sode't>y. bl!Calsethtl tht<MY IS compltl!tt based Oil
t"ldrvdualiS\Cphiosophy. 11 fl no1 t• S\-d fJSI lO 9notesoc:ia4;.,isUce. Th~ptftffll 611le ,s 11wcffare1tua,d ll

,stheu-dutY ol 111• ~to emt,losl1 sc,oa ~ice.

~ university exam questions J

' (QVESTIONS FOR UNI~ITY EXAMINATION ~
(K.U.K. 2013)
1. Critically analyze Robert Nashlk's theOIY of justice. (Critically

e,camlne RcA,ert Nozlck's theOrY or

Ju!!lla,.)2. oac<t>e tM 11,nt,o<tta0"'1 Of mcntoaOt'/ 111eorv of ~slice.
11'..U.I. ll/2. C.D.LU. 1115)

(Discuss the entitlement theory

or Justice.) 3. Robert NoZick'• vlews on state and justice Explain. (K .U.K. 201 4 )
1 D,...:u" Rohen Nozjd;", dlcorV al Slllt and Jldlicc.)
4. Elcpllir1 Rob<rt NOzidiS111eocyOfjJs1i::e. (l)is<USS-
(K.U.K. 2015)
NozlCk'S Theor/ of Justice,)

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