FEDERICO ZUOLO

Spinoza, Machiavelli e il repubblicanesimo

208

Gennaio-Aprile 2005

Anno LXX    n. 1

Summary - In this paper I reexamine the main aspects of Spinoza’s political philosophy by employing concepts developed within the contemporary debate about republicanism. By adopting features of Pettit’s theory, I endeavour to interpret the relationship between Spinoza and Machiavelli. I defend the view that, despite using contractualist, evolutionist and utilitarian arguments, Spinoza’s political philosophy can nevertheless be regarded as being distinct. Spinoza’s concept of freedom is unique to his own metaphysics. However, his consequentialism, his appeal to historical argument, and the concreteness of his analyses echo those of Machiavelli and the republicans. Finally, I maintain that Spinoza’s republican position is not a set of principles, but a positive attitude towards the relationship between state and citizens, which, under certain circumstances, can become a positive-sum game.