Why did Robert Nozick oppose a government-set minimum wage?

Robert Nozick opposed a government-set minimum wage because he believed it violated the fundamental natural rights of citizens.1

In his view, individuals possess the right to dispose of their property—which includes their own labor—as they see fit, provided they do not infringe upon the rights of others. Nozick argued that the state should function only as a "night watchman," limited to protecting citizens against violence, theft, and fraud. Consequently, he contended that any state power extending beyond this minimal role, such as regulating economic activities or setting wage floors, is unjust because it interferes with the voluntary transactions and personal liberty of consenting adults.12