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Robert Nozick in his famous book Anarchy, State and Utopia (1974) responded to, in part, John Rawls´ distribution theory as articulated in the latter´s much celebrated book A Theory of Justice (1971) with the former´s entitlement theory. Nozick calls Rawls´ distribution theory a patterned theory. To Nozick, no distribution is just and there should not be redistribution at all. Redistribution infringes individual´s rights which, according to Nozick, trumps all other considerations and subject matters. In Nozick´s view, individual rights are all that matters and that there is nothing such as a society or community or collective well-being. In line with this course of arguments, Nozick falls just short of supporting anarchy but the all-encompassing individualism that he propagates only allows for the existence of the minimal state which he regards as the only legitimate form of state which does not violate individual´s rights. This book sheds light particularly on entitlement theory of justice, libertarian rights, individualism and the minimal state and evaluates them from a critical perspective.

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