Elder brother of Italian patriot Silvio Spaventa, Bertrando was born into a middle-class family in financial difficulty.

He attributed the sorry state of philosophy in 19th century Italy to the lack of intellectual freedom following the Counter-Reformation, as well as to the oppression of despotic rulers.

[7] Furthermore, he attempted to equate the philosophy of Descartes to that of Tommaso Campanella, of Baruch Spinoza to that of Giordano Bruno, of Immanuel Kant to that of Giambattista Vico and Antonio Rosmini, and of the German Idealists to that of Vincenzo Gioberti.

[8] His aim in this was to free Italian philosophy of its provincialism[9] and bring new life to it[10] without falling into the trap of the nationalists, against whom he wrote a vigorous polemic.

[15] This would form the source of inspiration for the development of a harmonious society, in which individuals and the community could find the necessary resources for growth in an “orderly and just” manner.