Spinoza Then and Now, Essays

Description

This third and final volume of the series of writings by Antonio Negri examines how Spinoza’s thought constitutes a radical break with past ideas and an essential tool for envisaging a form of politics beyond capitalism. Negri shows how Spinoza’s ideas have facilitated radical renewal from their beginnings to the present day. It was the democratic freedoms and spirit of solidarity fostered in The Netherlands of the 17th century that allowed Spinoza to develop a radically new form of thought, redefining notions of the state and outlining a republican alternative to absolutist monarchy. In our own era, Negri argues that the rediscovery of Spinoza was critical in reinvigorating political theory. Instead of acquiescing to the economic order of capitalism and abandoning the class struggle, Spinoza’s ideas enable us to reconstruct a revolutionary perspective. His treatment of concepts such as multitude, necessity, and liberty have given us new ways of looking critically at our present, revealing that power must always be seen as a question of antagonism and class struggle. The writings that make up this volume – some written from prison as Negri fought for his own freedom – provide an important account of the enduring relevance of Spinoza’s thought. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of philosophy and political theory, as well anyone interested in radical politics today. Spinoza: Then and Now......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Author’s preface......Page 9 Part I Spinoza in 1968......Page 17 1 Starting from Masaniello......Page 19 2 Spinoza and Deleuze......Page 32 3 Joyous Spinozists......Page 41 Part II Spinoza Today......Page 49 4 Spinoza......Page 51 5 Concerning the concept of multitude......Page 63 6 Reflections on the immaterial......Page 75 7 Spinoza, necessity and freedom......Page 88 8 Justice......Page 104 9 A small note on fear in Spinoza......Page 119 10 Hatred as a passion......Page 130 Part III Spinoza in the Seventeenth Century......Page 141 11 Politics of immanence, politics of transcendence......Page 143 12 Rereading Hegel, the philosopher of right......Page 154 13 Problems of the historiography of the modern state......Page 170 14 Considerations on Macpherson......Page 210 15 Reflections on Grossmann and Borkenau......Page 219 16 Notes on the history of politics in Tronti......Page 237 Bibliography......Page 244