Acting without reason and doing only what one wants does not make a person free. Freedom cannot truly exist if we consider it only as the ability to perform any action without a cause or reason. A person driven solely by his own passions and nothing else is not free, and a person who uses reason to follow orders is not a slave. Spinoza describes freedom by writing that we are free only when the causes of our actions are based solely on our decisions, and we are slaves only when the causes of our actions are placed upon us by external forces. In this examination of Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise, I will first briefly explain Spinoza's theory of the law of nature and then explain how it relates to freedom. I will then discuss the nature of the subject and the slave and show how reason establishes freedom. It is everyone's natural right to do everything in their power to obtain what they deem necessary for their survival, while anyone who prevents them from taking something would be considered an enemy. Spinoza writes that "the natural right of each person is therefore determined not by sound reason but by desire and power." The concept of self-interest is a fundamental law of human nature, and self-preservation causes humans to seek power for themselves. A person driven by his own personal desire does not exist as a free person. Freedom is when that person follows a line of thought that strives to continue their existence. In order for a person to safeguard themselves from danger, a collective effort can be made to protect the rights of the group as a whole. Therefore, it is a reasonable line of thinking to put a single entity or group of entities in charge of making and enforcing laws to ensure the…half of the paper…needed to ensure they get it. In this state, people are controlled by their passions and should be considered slaves. By introducing reason, people can see that a single entity is weaker than a group. Reason allows individuals to control their actions and emotions and not be controlled by them. The need for a command structure within the group may give rise to the ruler, and while the ruler's responsibility is to make decisions for the entire community, freedom is still present for the individual. Freedom exists because the person knows how the ruler's decisions will benefit the community and even himself. Freedom is achieved through the use of reason to diminish the power of self-enslaving passions. The person is guided by his reasoning when he obeys the ruler and controls his passions to do what is necessary.