PHIL 1010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Robert Nozick, Distributive Justice, Negative And Positive Rights
31 Dec 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Robert nozick, representing libertarian wing of democratic theory. For nozick, the fundamental political principle on top of normative hierarchy is liberty. To remedy the problem of violence and to establish peace, the classic liberal view proposes a model of state called night-watchman that provides protection for all its citizens (285) He calls this model minimal and adds that it is redistributive in its function. Nozick distinguishes it from another model that he calls an ultra-minimal model of state, where people purchase protection, and only citizens who purchase protection get protection. Nozick believes that what makes individuals worth protection is what he calls side-constraints on others" actions. Side-constraint is the individual right, which in a kantian sense is inviolable (286) For nozick, the state is a protective association in a territory with monopoly on the use of violence that results from moving out of the state of nature to ultra-minimal or minimal contact. Maximum individual freedom requires minimum state apparatus (287-89)
