Single Idea 7827

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights]

Full Idea

Spinoza's advocacy of democracy on the basis of individual rights was extraordinarily bold for its time, and it qualifies him as the first truly modern political philosopher.

Gist of Idea

Spinoza wanted democracy based on individual rights, and is thus the first modern political philosopher

Source

comment on Baruch de Spinoza (Tractatus Theologico-Politicus [1670]) by Matthew Stewart - The Courtier and the Heretic Ch. 6

Book Reference

Stewart,Matthew: 'The Courtier and the Heretic' [Yale 2007], p.102


A Reaction

Sounds right. Hobbes may have been the 'first modern man', but his politics was fairly medieval. John Lilburne and co. may have campaigned for rights and democracy, but they weren't really philosophers.