Abstract

Spinoza's more fundamental criticism is that the open‐ended pursuit of wealth is a species of madness. This chapter focuses on Spinoza's intervention in the debate over luxury – a topic central to early modern debates over the new economy. It argues that Spinoza's diagnosis of the problem of luxury and corruption is important to his political philosophy. In the early modern period, the debate over the political dangers of luxury was re‐opened. Spinoza addresses the question of luxury and corruption throughout his works. Spinoza explains the connection between the Hebraic religion and their economic prosperity in a celebrated passage that has, naturally, attracted attention from those with an interest in egalitarianism and debt jubilees. The chapter illustrates Spinoza's interest in mechanism design and shows how this sheds light on how he tackles the problem of corruption.