The Cambridge History of Political Thought 1450–1700

Spinozas Role in Reshaping the Concepts of Power and Rights of Freedom

“…It downplays how rights have changed in tandem with changing social norms and oversimplifies the right to liberty by claiming it is solely grounded in reason, despite rationality's practical limitations. Similar to Hobbes, he endeavours to transcend the bourgeois framework of thinking that associates freedom with individualism and overlooks the servitude of the proletariat, which has the potential to lead to social unrest [8]. His quest for rationality disregarded the disparities in educational resources, rendering his perspectives challenging to implement.…”

“…The concept of freedom has undergone transformation in parallel with the development of civilization. The concept of freedom has evolved from the individual's pursuit of independence in the natural world to encompass democracy, equality, and human rights in contemporary society [8]. Spinoza's limited viewpoint on the right to liberty may have resulted from his disregard for the influence of social institutions.…”

“…Spinoza's theory is influenced by bourgeois thinking, which associates freedom with individualism and prioritises individual freedom while disregarding the conditions of the working class [8]. The theory is constrained and has the potential to incite social upheaval, impeding the progress of civil rights.…”

The Development of John Locke’s Ideas on Toleration

“…In order to fully understand the significance of the Essay on Toleration, we have to compare it with the Two Tracts. The spirit of the Tracts is not only pro-absolutist, it is a claim against and a response to the proposal for toleration based on individual conscience developed by Locke's contemporary Edward Bagshaw (Abrams 1967, Tully 1991. Nonetheless, the two texts also share a common ground.…”

“…For example, there is still a debate on the reasons why Locke changed his "conservative" position on the main political issues of the day-stated in the Two Tracts, written in the beginning of 1660's-and became a "champion of toleration." 1 As far as the development of Locke's arguments regarding the two spheres is concerned, although scholars generally agree that his position became "more liberal" than his early political works (Tully 1984 and1991), others claim that in his last essays, Locke again gave priority to the authority of the magistrate (Cranston 1988). This brief overview shows that the problem is still significant and worth exploring.…”