Robert Nozich Flashcards
Nozick’s key work
Anarchy, State and Utopia - 1974
Developed many views raised by neo-liberal von Hayek in ‘Road to Serfdom’ - 1944
Nozick’s view on size of government
Nozick viewed that the greatest modern threat to individual freedom was the growth of government
Thought the growth of welfare states in Western Europe created a ‘dependency culture’
Nozick’s night watchmen state / minarchist state
The only power a government should have is the protection of it’s peoples rights
This is through policing, military and courts
Therefore Nozick goes against anarchism
However, Nozick is firmly against big gov through regulations etc. etc.
Nozick’s view on human nature
Minarchist state owes much to Nozick’s positive view on human nature
A minimal state can occur because humans will make the right life choices
Very different to the views of Hobbes + Burke
Argued that dishonesty, theft and violence were not they key characteristics of human nature
However, the preservation of life, liberty and property (natural laws) could not be taken for granted without some formal law enforcement. A concession to the views of Hobbes ‘Nasty and brutish state’
How does Nozick compare to other conservative thinkers?
Different to other key thinkers
- Positive view of human nature
- Individuals have self-ownership (they are the sole creators of their talents + abilities), and that they should realise their talents on their own - without gov intervention
- Egotistical, self-ownership helps individuals realise their own potential
Nozick’s view on community
Purpose of Nozick’s sate was not just to allow individualism and free-market capitalism
Nozick’s minarchist state would allow self-sufficient communities emerge alongside the idea of individual freedom
Each community free to practice their own values and cultures, even if they’re unorthodox
An updated version of Burke’s ‘little platoons’
