The German experience suggests that a revival of enthusiasm for Spinoza has previously been the signal of a change in social consciousness; this is significant as presently there is a huge fascination with Spinoza and his ideas. .
The enlightenment began in an age of, "unprecedented intellectual turmoil which commenced in the mid-seventeenth century,"" and was associated with the scientific progress of the early seventeenth century, especially the discoveries of Galileo. These scientific advances gave rise to, "powerful new philosophical systems,"" producing a acute struggle between, "traditional, theologically sanctioned ideas about Man, God, and the universe and secular, mechanistic conceptions which stood independently of any theological sanction."" Seventeenth century Britain saw a very significant intellectual movement known as Deism. Deist belief involves a theory of knowledge based upon the recognition of fundamental universal characteristics on the object perceived, and is rigidly opposed to knowledge that is supernatural in its origin and determined only by strife and conflict. There are five common marks by which religious truth is recognised. These are a belief in the existence of the Deity, the duty to worship such a power, the identification of worship with practical morality, the obligation to repent of sin and to abandon it, and divine recompense in this world and the next. These "Five Articles- of the English Deists make up the core of all religions and of Christianity in its primitive, uncorrupted form. It is the belief that God created the universe, organising it perfectly for the needs of man, in order to run in correct order, while remaining in the background, taking a passive role. Many have referred to God as a "clockmaker,"" including the very influential Benjamin Franklin. Spinoza's "Tractatus Theologico-Politicus- was enormously effective in shaping the character of Deism.