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.