Robert Nozick 1938-2002

Question 1

book:

Answer 1

Anarchy, state and utopia 1974

Question 2

How did Nozick develope themes raised by Friedrich Hayek?

Answer 2

arguing that growth of the government was the greatest contemporary threat to individual freedom. Thought growth of welfare states in Western Europe fostered A dependency culture.

Question 3

Nozick became closely associated with libertarianism what does libertarianism argue?

Answer 3

individuals should be” left alone” not just in the economics fair but in social and cultural spheres. tolerant of “permissive society”.

Question 4

why was he not a true anarchist?

Answer 4

he believed in a minarchist state one that mainly involved outsourcing public services to private companies. This minarchist prescription owed much to nozick’s optimistic view of human nature, very different to that of hobbes.

Question 5

views on tax and ownership?

Answer 5

” tax for the most part is theft” indicating an upbeat view that individuals have self ownership that they are the sole authors of their talents and abilities and should be left alone to realise this without government intervention

Question 6

first reason he is considered a conservative?

Answer 6

he believes that society predates this state and human nature was not wholeheartedly positive. While dishonesty, theft and violence were not the main characteristics of humanity the preservation of life, liberty and property “could not be taken for granted” without some formal authority enforcing laws.

Question 7

second reason he is considered a conservative?

Answer 7

the purpose of Nozicks limited state was not simply to facilitate raw individualism but to allow a multitude of self-sufficient communities to emerge alongside the extension of individual freedom. In nozick’s minarchist SoC each of these communities would be free to practise its particular moral codes and values- this is similar to Burkes “ little platoons”