philosophy of right-第53节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


moments；　still　ideal　moments；　whose　true　ground　is　the　state；　although　it　is　from　them　that　the　state
springs。　

The　philosophic　proof　of　the　concept　of　the　state　is　this　development　of　ethical　life　from　its
immediate　phase　through　civil　society；　the　phase　of　division；　to　the　state；　which　then　reveals　itself
as　the　true　ground　of　these　phases。　A　proof　in　philosophic　science　can　only　be　a　development　of
this　kind。　

Since　the　state　appears　as　a　result　in　the　advance　of　the　philosophic　concept　through　displaying
itself　as　the　true　ground　＇of　the　earlier　phases＇；　that　show　of　mediation　is　now　cancelled　and　the
state　has　become　directly　present　before　us。　Actually；　therefore；　the　state　as　such　is　not　so　much
the　result　as　the　beginning。　It　is　within　the　state　that　the　family　is　first　developed　into　civil　society；
and　it　is　the　Idea　of　the　state　itself　which　disrupts　itself　into　these　two　moments。　Through　the
development　of　civil　society；　the　substance　of　ethical　life　acquires　its　infinite　form；　which　contains　in
itself　these　two　moments：　（1）　infinite　differentiation　down　to　the　inward　experience　of　independent
self…consciousness；　and　（2）　the　form　of　universality　involved　in　education；　the　form　of　thought
whereby　mind　is　objective　and　actual　to　itself　as　an　organic　totality　in　laws　and　institutions　which
are　its　will　in　terms　of　thought。　




Third　Part：　Ethical　Life
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　iii。　The　State

　A：　Constitutional　Law　B：　International　Law　C：　World
　History


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　257。

The　state　is　the　actuality　of　the　ethical　Idea。　It　is　ethical　mind　qua　the　substantial
will　manifest　and　revealed　to　itself；　knowing　and　thinking　itself；　accomplishing
what　it　knows　and　in　so　far　as　it　knows　it。　The　state　exists　immediately　in　custom；
mediately　in　individual　self…consciousness；　knowledge；　and　activity；　while
self…consciousness　in　virtue　of　its　sentiment　towards　the　state；　finds　in　the　state；
as　its　essence　and　the　end…product　of　its　activity；　its　substantive　freedom。　

Remark：　The　Penates　are　inward　gods；　gods　of　the　underworld；　the　mind　of　a　nation　（Athene
for　instance）　is　the　divine；　knowing　and　willing　itself。　Family　piety　is　feeling；　ethical　behaviour
directed　by　feeling；　political　virtue　is　the　willing　of　the　absolute　end　in　terms　of　thought。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　258。

The　state　is　absolutely　rational　inasmuch　as　it　is　the　actuality　of　the　substantial　will
which　it　possesses　in　the　particular　self…consciousness　once　that　consciousness
has　been　raised　to　consciousness　of　its　universality。　This　substantial　unity　is　an
absolute　unmoved　end　in　itself；　in　which　freedom　comes　into　its　supreme　right。
On　the　other　hand　this　final　end　has　supreme　right　against　the　individual；　whose
supreme　duty　is　to　be　a　member　of　the　state。　

Remark：　If　the　state　is　confused　with　civil　society；　and　if　its　specific　end　is　laid　down　as　the
security　and　protection　of　property　and　personal　freedom；　then　the　interest　of　the　individuals　as
such　becomes　the　ultimate　end　of　their　association；　and　it　follows　that　membership　of　the　state　is
something　optional。　But　the　state's　relation　to　the　individual　is　quite　different　from　this。　Since　the
state　is　mind　objectified；　it　is　only　as　one　of　its　members　that　the　individual　himself　has　objectivity；
genuine　individuality；　and　an　ethical　life。　Unification　pure　and　simple　is　the　true　content　and　aim　of
the　individual；　and　the　individual's　destiny　is　the　living　of　a　universal　life。　His　further　particular
satisfaction；　activity　and　mode　of　conduct　have　this　substantive　and　universally　valid　life　as　their
starting　point　and　their　result。　

Rationality；　taken　generally　and　in　the　abstract；　consists　in　the　thorough…going　unity　of　the　universal
and　the　single。　Rationality；　concrete　in　the　state；　consists　（a）　so　far　as　its　content　is　concerned；　in
the　unity　of　objective　freedom　（i。e。　freedom　of　the　universal　or　substantial　will）　and　subjective
freedom　（i。e。　freedom　of　everyone　in　his　knowing　and　in　his　volition　of　particular　ends）；　and
consequently；　（b）　so　far　as　its　form　is　concerned；　in　self…determining　action　on　laws　and　principles
which　are　thoughts　and　so　universal。　This　Idea　is　the　absolutely　eternal　and　necessary　being　of
mind。　

But　if　we　ask　what　is　or　has　been　the　historical　origin　of　the　state　in　general；　still　more　if　we　ask
about　the　origin　of　any　particular　state；　of　its　rights　and　institutions；　or　again　if　we　inquire　whether
the　state　originally　arose　out　of　patriarchal　conditions　or　out　of　fear　or　trust；　or　out　of
Corporations；　&c。；　or　finally　if　we　ask　in　what　light　the　basis　of　the　state's　rights　has　been
conceived　and　consciously　established；　whether　this　basis　has　been　supposed　to　be　positive　divine
right；　or　contract；　custom；　&c。　…　all　these　questions　are　no　concern　of　the　Idea　of　the　state。　We　are
here　dealing　exclusively　with　the　philosophic　science　of　the　state；　and　from　that　point　of　view　all
these　things　are　mere　appearance　and　therefore　matters　for　history。　So　far　as　the　authority　of　any
existing　state　has　anything　to　do　with　reasons；　these　reasons　are　culled　from　the　forms　of　the　law
authoritative　within　it。　

The　philosophical　treatment　of　these　topics　is　concerned　only　with　their　inward　side；　with　the
thought　of　their　concept。　The　merit　of　Rousseau's　contribution　to　the　search　for　this　concept　is　that；
by　adducing　the　will　as　the　principle　of　the　state；　he　is　adducing　a　principle　which　has　thought　both
for　its　form　and　its　content；　a　principle　indeed　which　is　thinking　itself；　not　a　principle；　like
gregarious　instinct；　for　instance；　or　divine　authority；　which　has　thought　as　its　form　only。
Unfortunately；　however；　as　Fichte　did　later；　he　takes　the　will　only　in　a　determinate　form　as　the
individual　will；　and　he　regards　the　universal　will　not　as　the　absolutely　rational　element　in　the　will；　but
only　as　a　'general'　will　which　proceeds　out　of　this　individual　will　as　out　of　a　conscious　will。　The
result　is　that　he　reduces　the　union　of　individuals　in　the　state　to　a　contract　and　therefore　to
something　based　on　their　arbitrary　wills；　their　opinion；　and　their　capriciously　given　express　consent；
and　abstract　reasoning　proceeds　to　draw　the　logical　inferences　which　destroy　the　absolutely　divine
principle　of　the　state；　together　with　its　majesty　and　absolute　authority。　For　this　reason；　when　these
abstract　conclusions　came　into　power；　they　afforded　for　the　first　time　in　human　history　the
prodigious　spectacle　of　the　overthrow　of　the　constitution　of　a　great　actual　state　and　its　complete
reconstruction　ab　initio　on　the　basis　of　pure　thought　alone；　after　the　destruction　of　all　existing　and
given　material。　The　will　of　its　re…founders　was　to　give　it　what　they　alleged　was　a　purely　rational
basis；　but　it　was　only　abstractions　that　were　being　used；　the　Idea　was　lacking；　and　the　experiment
ended　in　the　maximum　of　frightfulness　and　terror。　

Confronted　with　the　claims　made　for　the　individual　will；　we　must　remember　the　fundamental
conception　that　the　objective　will　is　rationality　implicit　or　in　conception；　whether　it　be　recognised
or　not　by　individuals；　whether　their　whims　be　deliberately　for　it　or　not。　We　must　remember　that　its
opposite；　i。e。　knowing　and　willing；　or　subjective　freedom　（the　only　thing　contained　in　the　principle
of　the　individual　will）　comprises　only　one　moment；　and　therefore　a　one…sided　moment；　of　the　Idea
of　the　rational　will；　i。e。　of　the　will　which　is　rational　solely　because　what　it　is　implicitly；　that　it　also　is
explicitly。　

The　opposite　to　thinking　of　the　state　as　something　to　be　known　and　apprehended　as　explicitly
rational　is　taking　external　appearances　…　i。e。　contingencies　such　as　distress；　need　for　protection；
force；　riches；　&c。　…　not　as　moments　in　the　state's　historical　development；　but　as　its　substance。　Here
again　what　constitutes　the　guiding　thread　of　discovery　is　the　individual　in　isolation　…　not；　however；
even　so　much　as　the　thought　of　this　individuality；　but　instead　only　empirical　individuals；　with
attention　focused　on　their　accidental　characteristics；　their　strength　and　weakness；　riches　and
poverty；　&c。　This　ingenious　idea　of　ignoring　the　absolute　infinity　and　rationality　in　the　state　and
excluding　thought　from　apprehension　of　its　inward　nature　has　assuredly　never　been　put　forward　in
such　an　unadulterated　form　as　in　Herr　von　Haller's　Restauration　der　Staatswissenschaft。　I　say
'unadulterated'；　because　in　all　other　attempts　to　grasp　the　essence　of　the　state；　no　matter　on　what
one…sided　or　superficial　principles；　this　very　intention　of　comprehending　the　state　rationally　has
brought　with　it　thoughts；　i。e。　universal　determinations。　Herr　von　Haller；　however；　with　his　eyes
open；　has　not　merely　renounced　the　rational　material　of　which　the　state　consists；　as　well　as　the
form　of　thought；　but　he　has　even　gone　on　with　passionate　fervour　to　inveigh　against　the　form　and
the　material　so　set　aside。　Part　of　what　Herr　von　Haller　assures　us　is　the　'widespread'　effect　of　his
principles。　This　Restauration　undoubtedly　owes　to　the　fact　that；　in　his　exposition；　he　has
deliberately　dispensed　with　thought　altogether；　and　has　deliberately　kept　his　whole　book　all　of　a
piece　with　its　l