<P> In one sense, theories of distributive justice may assert that everyone should get what they deserve . Theories disagree on the meaning of what is "deserved". The main distinction is between theories that argue the basis of just deserts ought to be held equally by everyone, and therefore derive egalitarian accounts of distributive justice--and theories that argue the basis of just deserts is unequally distributed on the basis of, for instance, hard work, and therefore derive accounts of distributive justice by which some should have more than others . </P> <P> According to meritocratic theories, goods, especially wealth and social status, should be distributed to match individual merit, which is usually understood as some combination of talent and hard work . According to needs - based theories, goods, especially such basic goods as food, shelter and medical care, should be distributed to meet individuals' basic needs for them . Marxism is a needs - based theory, expressed succinctly in Marx's slogan "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need". According to contribution - based theories, goods should be distributed to match an individual's contribution to the overall social good . </P> <P> In Anarchy, State, and Utopia, Robert Nozick argues that distributive justice is not a matter of the whole distribution matching an ideal pattern, but of each individual entitlement having the right kind of history . It is just that a person has some good (especially, some property right) if and only if they came to have it by a history made up entirely of events of two kinds: </P> <Ul> <Li> Just acquisition, especially by working on unowned things; and </Li> <Li> Just transfer, that is free gift, sale or other agreement, but not theft (i.e. by force or fraud). </Li> </Ul>

Concept and various theories of justice in western thought