The Tale of the Slave
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The Root of Liberty Discussion – “The Tale of the Slave”
An excerpt from “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” by Robert Nozick
First Published in 1974
Fundamental Concepts
Individual Rights and Freedom
The central theme of the essay revolves around the nature of individual rights and the importance of personal liberty. Nozick argues that true freedom cannot be traded for material comforts or superficial improvements in conditions.
Self-Ownership and Slavery
The metaphor of the slave raises profound questions about the morality and the ethical implications of enslaving others. Nozick’s narrative forces readers to confront the nature of power dynamics and the responsibilities that come with authority.
The Slippery Slope
The essay introduces the slippery slope argument, where small concessions to limit freedom can lead to a complete erosion of liberty over time. It highlights the danger of compromising on fundamental principles in the name of short-term gains. This is revealed by moving backwards from case 9 to case 1.
Individual votes
Stage 8 highlights the low probability that any individual’s vote will have any effect on the outcome of an election. Note that case 9 is in effect no different from case 8.
Conclusion
Through his design of this essay Nozick would claim that there is no transition from case 1 to case 9 that made it no longer the tale of a slave.
Study Questions
- How does slavery violate the natural rights to liberty and property?
- In case 5 the master allows his slaves to go off and work in the city (or anywhere they wish) for wages. He requires only that they send back to him three-sevenths of their wages. Does this transition make it no longer the tale of a slave? If not, why not?
- Can you create an additional case (that can be inserted anywhere in the progression of cases) so that this essay would no longer be the tale of a slave?