... existence something that doesn't exist already but should. Things are already perfect, and everything that will ever exist already exists, since God is the only thing that exists. Spinoza equated liberty and reason, advocating a government based on common consent, and favoured a democratic republic over monarchy. Such a society, Spinoza envisaged, would allow freedom of thought and speech and would recognise that the ... ...

• Word Count: 2438
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... , a reasonable path to salvation? It seems as if that Spinoza thought good government approximated to that of the free burgesses of Amsterdam, a city in which religious toleration and relative political liberty had been realized. He is, therefore, a pioneer of a scientific, in ways humanistic, type of view of government and of the neutrality of the state in matters of belief....

• Word Count: 261
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate