Spinoza and Politics

A trenchant analysis of Spinoza's major treatises within the context of his contemporary political, religious, and ideological life. With Hobbes and Locke, Spinoza is arguably one of the most important political philosophers of the modern era, a premier theoretician of democracy and mass politics. In this revised and augmented English translation of his 1985 classic,Spinoza et la Politique, Etienne Balibar presents a synoptic account of Spinoza's major works, admirably demonstrating relevance to his contemporary political life. Balibar carefully situates Spinoza's major treatises in the period in which they were written. In successive chapters, he examines the political situation in the United Provinces during Spinoza's lifetime, Spinoza's own religious and ideological associations, the concept of democracy developed in theTheologico-Political Treatise, the theory of the state advanced in thePolitical Treatiseand the anthropological basis for politics established in theEthics. "Verso's beautifully designedRadical Thinkersseries, which brings together seminal works by leading left-wing intellectuals, is a sophisticated blend of theory and thought. The authors whose writings are included in the series have worked tirelessly to expose the mechanisms by which culture and knowledge are manufactured, managed and controlled."--Ziauddin Sardar,New StatesmanBalibar, Etienne is the author of 'Spinoza and Politics', published 2008 under ISBN 9781844672059 and ISBN 1844672050.