Power and the Governance of Fear in Spinoza’s philosophy

Abstract

The essay considers the role of fear as a passion in Spinoza's political writings (Trattato teologico politico and Trattato politico) and in the Ethics. In particular, the focus is on the role of fear in reference to the history of the Hebrew state in the Trattato teologico politico. In the second part of the paper the forms of elaboration and government of this affection, which are thematised in the Ethics, are confronted with the reflections on the different types of governments presented in the TP.

Keywords

• spinoza
• fear
• ethics
• political theology