aeo This is the first full--length study of Nozicka s political philosophy as presented in his important and influential work Anarchy, State and Utopia. aeo The author compares Nozicka s views at each stage with those of his contemporary allies and opponents.

Introduction. I: Nozick's Libertarianism. II: Libertarian Rights. III: Defending the Minimal State. IV: The Entitlement Theory of Justice. V: Nozick and Political Philosophy. Notes. Guide to Further Reading. Bibliography.

Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State and Utopia is one of the works which dominates contemporary debate in political philosophy. Drawing on traditional assumptions associated with individualism and libertarianism, Nozick mounts a powerful argument for a minimal `nightwatchman' state and challenges the views of many contemporary philosophers, most notably John Rawls. Jonathan Wolff's new book is the first full-length study of Nozick's work and of the debates to which it has given rise. He situates Nozick's work in the context of current debates and examines the traditions which have influenced his thought. He then critically reconstructs the key arguments of Anarchy, State and Utopia, focusing on Nozick's Doctrine of Rights, his Derivation of the Minimal State, and his Entitlement Theory of Justice. The book concludes by assessing Nozick's place in contemporary political philosophy.