The Political Treatise
, Spinoza's final work, is a largely theoretical inquiry into the fundamental principles of political philosophy. This edition offers an exceptional translation by Samuel Shirley and a prefatory essay by Douglas Den Uyl that discusses why the
Political Treatise
deserves the attention of contemporary scholars. Steven Barbone and Lee Rice provide ample notes, a substantial bibliography, complete indexes of names and terms, and a comprehensive general introduction, which considers the evolution of Spinoza's political thought in the context of the political and intellectual turmoil of the times, the relationship between the
and the
Theological-Political Treatise
, and the importance of the
to a full understanding of Spinoza's political philosophy.