The Crowd, the People, and the Philosopher in Spinoza’s Political Philosophy

The essay analyzes the relationship in Spinoza's thought between the images of the philosopher, the people, and the crowd. The distinction between this three images is anchored in his theory of knowledge, in his interpretation of the passions, and in his concept of natural right. Furthermore this distinction plays a fundamental role in his conception of the republican State. Spinoza establishes a direct connection between these figures and the forms of political regimes: tyranny corresponds to the crowd, democracy to the people (and to philiosopher). While in democracy human beings who are completely rational (the philosophers) can fully deploy their theoretical interests and the people can develop the desire for freedom in the rational State, in theocracy and tyranny the crowd's superstition dominates. These aspects of Spinoza's thought allow us to interpret the relationships between the contemplative life and the active life (and to rethink the relationship between the philosopher and the city), in the early modern age as well as in our contemporary one.