How can property be justly transferred under Robert Nozick’s entitlement theory?

Under Robert Nozick’s entitlement theory of justice, a distribution of holdings is considered just if it arises from a previous just distribution through legitimate means. Property is justly transferred when it occurs through the voluntary transfer of ownership from one individual to another.1

Beyond voluntary exchange, Nozick identifies two other ways individuals can become morally entitled to holdings:

• Original Acquisition: Appropriating something that is previously unowned in circumstances where the acquisition does not disadvantage others.1
• Rectification: Correcting past injustices that occurred during the acquisition or transfer of holdings.1

Nozick argues that if a person acquires their holdings through these legitimate processes, they are morally entitled to them, regardless of how unequal the resulting distribution of wealth may be. He contends that any attempt by the state to enforce a specific "patterned" distribution—such as one requiring equal wealth—would necessitate an unjust intrusion into the liberty of citizens, effectively forbidding voluntary transactions between consenting adults.1