philosophy of right-第57节
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Addition: The unity of the freedom which knows and wills itself is present first of all as
necessity。 Here substance is present as the subjective existence of individuals。 Necessity's other
mode of being; however; is the organism; i。e。 mind is a process internal to itself; it articulates itself
within; posits differences in itself; and thereby completes the cycle of its life。
§ 268。
The political sentiment; patriotism pure and simple; is assured conviction with
truth as its basis — mere subjective assurance is not the outcome of truth but is
only opinion — and a volition which has become habitual。 In this sense it is simply
a product of the institutions subsisting in the state; since rationality is actually
present in the state; while action in conformity with these institutions gives
rationality its practical proof。 This sentiment is; in general; trust (which may pass
over into a greater or lesser degree of educated insight); or the consciousness that
my interest; both substantive and particular; is contained and preserved in
another's (i。e。 in the state's) interest and end; i。e。 in the other's relation to me as
an individual。 In this way; this very other is immediately not an other in my eyes;
and in being conscious of this fact; I am free。
Remark: Patriotism is often understood to mean only a readiness for exceptional sacrifices and
actions。 Essentially; however; it is the sentiment which; in the relationships of our daily life and
under ordinary conditions; habitually recognises that the community is one's substantive
groundwork and end。 It is out of this consciousness; which during life's daily round stands the test
in all circumstances; that there subsequently also arises the readiness for extraordinary exertions。
But since men would often rather be magnanimous than law…abiding; they readily persuade
themselves that they possess this exceptional patriotism in order to be sparing in the expression of
a genuine patriotic sentiment or to excuse their lack of it。 If again this genuine patriotism is looked
upon as that which may begin of itself and arise from subjective ideas and thoughts; it is being
confused with opinion; because so regarded patriotism is deprived of its true ground; objective
reality。
Addition: Immature minds delight in argumentation and fault…finding; because it is easy enough
to find fault; though hard to see the good and its inner necessity。 The learner always begins by
finding fault; but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything。 In religion; this or that is quickly
dismissed as superstitious; but it is infinitely harder to apprehend the truth underlying the
superstition。 Hence men's apparent sentiment towards the state is to be distinguished from what
they really will; inwardly they really will the thing; but they cling to details and take delight in the
vanity of pretending to know better。 We are confident that the state must subsist and that in it
alone can particular interests be secured。 But habit blinds us to that on which our whole existence
depends。 When we walk the streets at night in safety; it does not strike us that this might be
otherwise。 This habit of feeling safe has become second nature; and we do not reflect on just how
this is due solely to the working of special institutions。 Commonplace thinking often has the
impression that force holds the state together; but in fact its only bond is the fundamental sense of
order which everybody possesses。
§ 269。
The patriotic sentiment acquires its specifically determined content from the
various members of the organism of the state。 This organism is the development
of the Idea to its differences and their objective actuality。 Hence these different
members are the various powers of the state with their functions and spheres of
action; by means of which the universal continually engenders itself; and
engenders itself in a necessary way because their specific character is fixed by the
nature of the concept。 Throughout this process the universal maintains its identity;
since it is itself the presupposition of its own production。 This organism is the
constitution of the state。
Addition: The state is an organism; i。e。 the development of the Idea to the articulation of its
differences。 Thus these different sides of the state are its various powers with their functions and
spheres of action; by means of which the universal continually engenders itself in a necessary way;
in this process it maintains its identity since it is presupposed even in its own production。 This
organism is the constitution of the state; it is produced perpetually by the state; while it is through it
that the state maintains itself。 If the state and its constitution fall apart; if the various members of the
organism free themselves; then the unity produced by the constitution is no longer an accomplished
fact。 This tallies with the fable about the belly and the other members。 The nature of an organism is
such that unless each of its parts is brought into identity with the others; unless each of them is
prevented from achieving autonomy; the whole must perish。 By listing attributes; axioms; &c。; no
progress can be made in assessing the nature of the state; it must be apprehended as an organism。
One might as well try to understand the nature of God by listing his attributes; while the truth is that
we must intuit God's life in that life itself。
§ 270。
(1) The abstract actuality or the substantiality of the state consists in the fact
that its end is the universal interest as such and the conservation therein of
particular interests since the universal interest is the substance of these。
(2) But this substantiality of the state is also its necessity; since its
substantiality is divided into the distinct spheres of its activity which
correspond to the moments of its concept; and these spheres; owing to this
substantiality; are thus actually fixed determinate characteristics of the state;
i。e。 its Powers。
(3) But this very substantiality of the state is mind knowing and willing itself
after passing through the forming process of education。 The state; therefore;
knows what it wills and knows it in its universality; i。e。 as something
thought。
Hence it works and acts by reference to consciously adopted ends; known
principles; and laws which are not merely implicit but are actually present to
consciousness; and further; it acts with precise knowledge of existing conditions
and circumstances; inasmuch as its actions have a bearing on these。
Remark: This is the place to allude to the relation of the state to religion; because it is often
reiterated nowadays〃 that religion is the basis of the state; and because those who make this
assertion even have the impertinence to suggest that; once it is made; political science has said its
last word。 No doctrine is more fitted to produce so much confusion; more fitted … indeed to exalt
confusion itself to be the constitution of the state and the proper form of knowledge。
In the first place; it may seem suspicious that religion is principally sought and recommended for
times of public calamity; disorder; and oppression; and that people are referred to it as a solace in
face of wrong or as a hope in compensation for loss。 Then further; while the state is mind on earth
(der Geist der in der Welt steht); religion may sometimes be looked upon as commanding
downright indifference to earthly interests; the march of events; and current affairs; and so to turn
men's attention to religion does not seem to be the way to exalt the interest and business of the
state into the fundamental and serious aim of life。 On the contrary; this suggestion seems to assert
that politics is wholly a matter of caprice and indifference; either because this way of talking merely
amounts to saying that it is only the aims of passion and lawless force; &c。; which bear sway in the
state; or because this recommendation of religion is supposed to be of self…sufficient validity; and
religion is to claim to decide the law and administer it。 While it might seem a bitter jest to stifle all
animus against tyranny by asserting that the oppressed find their consolation in religion; it still must
not be forgotten that religion may take a form leading to the harshest bondage in the fetters of
superstition and man's degraded subservience to animals。 (The Egyptians and the Hindus; for
instance; revere animals as beings higher than themselves。) This phenomenon may at least make it
evident that we ought not to speak of religion at all in general terms and that we really need a
power to protect us from it in some of its forms and to espouse against them the rights of reason
and self…consciousness。
The essence of the relation between religion and the state can be determined; however; only if we
recall the concept of religion。 The content of religion is absolute truth; and consequently the
religious is the most sublime of all dispositions。 As intuition; feeling; representative knowledge; its
task is