Re: "Spinoza was a communist thinker long before Marx"

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> > *****   Indeed, those who have experienced the fickleness of the
> > masses are almost reduced to despair; for the masses are governed
> > solely by their emotions, not by reason; they rush wildly into
> > everything, and are readily corrupted either by avarice or by
> > luxurious living.  Every single man thinks he knows everything, and
> > wants to fashion the world to his liking....Vanity makes him
> > despise his equals, nor will he be guided by them.  Through envy of
> > superior fame or fortune -- which is never equal for all men -- he
> > desires another's misfortune and takes pleasure therein.  There is
> > no need for me to go through the whole catalogue, for everyone
> > knows to what wickedness men are frequently persuaded by
> > dissatisfaction with their lot and desire for change, by hasty
> > anger, by disdain of poverty, and how their minds are engrossed and
> > agitated by these emotions. (Spinoza, _Theological-Political
> > Treatise_, p. 193)   *****
>
> this sounds a little bit like pen-l participants...
>
> Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine

Even better, Thomas Hobbes wrote in _Leviathan_:

*****   Nature hath made men equal, in the faculty of the body, and
mind; as that though there be found one man sometimes manifestly
stronger in body, or of quicker mind than another; yet when all is
reckoned together, the difference between man, and man, is not so
considerable, as that one man can thereupon claim to himself any
benefit, to which another may not pretend, as well as he.  For as to
the strength of body, the weakest has strength enough to kill the
strongest, either by secret machination, or by confederacy with
others, that are in the same danger with himself.

And as to the faculty of the mind, (setting aside the arts grounded
upon words, and especially that skill of proceeding upon general, and
infallible rules, called science; which very few have, and but in few
things; as being not a native faculty, born with us; not attained (as
prudence,) while we look after somewhat else,) I find yet a greater
equality amongst men, than that of strength.  For prudence, is but
experience; which equal time, equally bestows on all men, in those
things they equally apply themselves unto.  That which may perhaps
make such equality incredible, is but a vain conceit of one's own
wisdom, which almost all men think they have in a greater degree,
than the vulgar; that is, than all men but themselves, and a few
others, whom by fame, or for concurring with themselves, they
approve.  For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may
acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more
learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as
themselves; for they see their own wit at hand, and other men's at a
distance.  But this proveth rather that men are in that point equal,
than unequal.  For there is not ordinarily a greater sign of the
equal distribution of any thing, than that every man is contented
with his share.
<http://www.lcl.cmu.edu/CAAE/80130/part1/sect4/texts/Levi13.htm>
*****

So, PEN-l serves to prove human equality in the faculty of the mind.

Yoshie