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Society & Culture:Philosophy
Nozick and the Three Governments: None ("Anarchy"), Minimal Government and Utopia
Hello Social and Political Philosophers!
Let’s think about Nozick. Nozick, after developing his Locke-inspired view of property starting with ownership of self, explains your self extends to other things. We have these forms of property: Our lives (self), our efforts and creativity, our ownership of those and what they produce, and our ability to exchange them. Nozick moves on to his evaluation of forms of government. Zero government =s “Chaos” under many circumstances (he terms it "Anarchy", which he has sympathy for in the sense that Anarchy simply means no rulers, so no externally imposed rules). “Chaos”/"Anarchy" violates your property; rights to life and other things you own. Which is Locke’s position. So we need some government. Nozick then evaluates under what circumstances what we own can be taken from us by a government. Anarchy is off the list, so we move on to the “minimal state” (minimal government) and “utopia"—the perfect, ideal society. The question is: Can the government force us create the ideal human society, or should we do this on our own, to the degree we each wish to. The alternative form of government is the minimal state; the very minimal to protect us and our other property. It involves just the basics: Cops (to protect lives and property), courts (to resolve disputes) and the outward-looking military, to protect the nation (our territory). Nozick argues only the minimal government can be a Just government. Utopia, especially through government control and massive taxes—a vision like Rawls has—violates our individual free choice and steals from us to fund and inflict Rawls’ special plan for the world. That leaves us with the minimal government. The rest of our utopian work must be freely chosen by us, individually, as free individuals (or not chosen), and not forced upon us by laws, penalties and prisons. That is the only answer to what is a Just government.
Remember, for every hour you work, the Government takes 1/2. So you are a government slave for every half-hour, every half workday, every other minute. We need as little of that slavery as possible. We need the minimal government. That is a key claim in Nozick's argument. Because slavery is a moral evil.
Cheers~
Dr. Lee Basham
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