This is a study of Nozick's work and the debates to which it has given rise. It locates Nozick's work in the complex of current philosophical and political debates, and explores the influences on his work. It then proceeds to a more detailed analysis of Anarchy, State and Utopia, concentrating on Nozick's doctrine of rights, the minimal role he assigns to the state and his theory of justice. The book argues that many of the libertarian theories put forward by Nozick lack a convincing justification.

Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia is one of the works which dominate contemporary debate in political philosophy. Drawing on traditional assumptions associated with individualism and libertarianism, Nozick mounts a powerful argument for a minimal "night-watchman" state and challenges the views of many contemporary philosophers, most notably John Rawls. This book is the first full-length study of Nozick's work and of the debates to which it has given rise. Wolff situates Nozick's work in the context of current debates and examines the traditions which have influenced his...