Nozick's Principles Of Distributive Justice

Nozick’s conception of the principles of distributive justice is an entitlement theory of justice. More specifically, it is a theory of how a society ought or ought not to regulate the distribution of goods, i.e. property, money. The entitlement theory claims that we can arrive whether a distribution of goods is just or not through looking at its history. Hence, Nozick believes in historical principles of justice that hold people’s past actions can create contrastive entitlements to things (Nozick, 1974: 155). Nozick contrasts his entitlement theory with end-state principles and patterned principles in arguing that these principles are inconsistent. A principle of distribution is patterned if it holds that a distribution of goods is just only if it meets a particular pattern (Nozick, 1974: 156).

Therefore, this paper will discuss Nozick’s entitlement theory, what Nozick understands when principles of distribution are patterned and the identifying of those principles, i.e. patterned and end-state principles. It will discuss how Nozick believes patterns cause problems within a society and will argue that patterns and end-state principles upset liberty, redistribution and property rights of a person. It will additionally assess if Nozick’s rejection is plausible by discussing some of Rawls whom is a defender of patterned principles of justice, but will result that Nozick’s entitlement theory is plausible as it is best to look at a society’s history, to know that the distribution of goods is