The success of entitlement theory depends, however, on showing precisely that.

Entitlement theory also contrasts with the Marxist analysis that inequality should be the goal.

Entitlement theory is based on John Locke's ideas.

Nozick's entitlement theory is a non-patterned historical principle.

The entitlement theory is sketched.

Demoktesis is a thought-experiment designed to show the incompatibility of democracy with libertarianism in general and the entitlement theory specifically.

Nozick's entitlement theory comprises 3 main principles:

The problem faced by all versions of entitlement theory, however, is in demonstrating why acquirers should be rewarded for their efforts with full rights of private ownership.

Thus, entitlement theory would imply "a distribution is just if everyone is entitled to the holdings they possess under the distribution" (Nozick 1974:151).

Entitlement theory is a theory of distributive justice and private property created by Robert Nozick in his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia.

Under entitlement theory, people are represented as ends in themselves and equals, as Kant claimed, though different people may own (i.e. be entitled to) different amounts of property.

Nozick, for example, formulates an entitlement theory of justice, in which a person's property holdings are just if they are acquired through some just act of original acquisition or by some just transfer.

Entitlement theory therefore offers no satisfactory justification of private property in general, and hence, for the purposes of our more limited enquiry, establishes no moral basis for shareholder control over corporate property in particular.

After considering some preliminary objections, he "adds an additional bit of complexity" to the structure of the entitlement theory by refining Locke's proviso that "enough and as good" must be left in common for others by one's taking property in an unowned object.

Nozick asserts his view of the entitlement theory of justice, which says that if everyone in society has acquired their holdings in accordance with the principles of acquisition, transfer, and rectification, then any pattern of allocation, no matter how unequal the distribution may be, is just.

Moreover, they assert that what really matters for assigning ownership is whether or not property was acquired or exchanged legally (see Robert Nozick), which is known as the historical entitlement theory, whereas Marxists assert that there are no property rights in the means of production.

The entitlement theory of justice holds that the "justice of a distribution is indeed determined by certain historical circumstances (contrary to end-state theories), but it has nothing to do with fitting any pattern guaranteeing that those who worked the hardest or are most deserving have the most shares."