A Political Treatise Research Paper

A Political Treatise by Benedict de Spinoza discusses the three major forms of government: democracy, aristocracy and monarchy. Spinoza discusses the advantages and disadvantages of three forms of government. Spinoza distinguishes democracy from aristocracy by defining each system in terms of rights. He states that democratic form of government is more inclusive. Democratic inclusiveness according to Spinoza is an accessibility of the system to the widest segment of people. According to Spinoza contemporaries the accessibility of democracy is an inferior aspect of democracy. The aristocratic form of government supposed only the best from the best to be entitled for public service. Spinoza in its turn criticizes aristocracy in terms of nepotism. Spinoza also questions the nature of women and slave rights or their absence. He states that women and slaves area excluded from the democratic system because they are under the rule of “man and master”. Spinoza also argues the origins of subordination of women. He says that the absence of rights that women experience is due to institutional changes, so there is no reason to exclude women from the government. Spinoza also mentions that men could not stand women’s rule.