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that　for　legislative　purposes　generally；　the　people　should　be　represented　by　deputies。　The
so…called　Representative　Constitution　is　that　form　of　government　with　which　we　connect　the　idea
of　a　free　constitution；　and　this　notion　has　bee　a　rooted　prejudice。　On　this　theory　People　and
Government　are　separated。　But　there　is　a　perversity　in　this　antithesis；　an　ill…intentioned　ruse
designed　to　insinuate　that　the　People　are　the　totality　of　the　State。　Besides；　the　basis　of　this　view　is
the　principle　of　isolated　individuality　…　the　absolute　validity　of　the　subjective　will　…　a　dogma　which
we　have　already　investigated。　The　great　point　is；　that　Freedom　in　its　Ideal　conception　has　not
subjective　will　and　caprice　for　its　principle；　but　the　recognition　of　the　universal　will；　and　that　the
process　by　which　Freedom　is　realised　is　the　free　development　of　its　successive　stages。　The
subjective　will　is　a　merely　formal　determination　…　a　carte　blanche　…　not　including　what　it　is　that　is
willed。　Only　the　rational　will　is　that　universal　principle　which　independently　determines　and
unfolds　its　own　being；　and　develops　its　successive　elemental　phases　as　organic　members。　Of　this
Gothic…cathedral　architecture　the　ancients　knew　nothing。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　50

At　an　earlier　stage　of　the　discussion；　we　established　the　two　elemental　considerations：　first；　the
idea　of　freedom　as　the　absolute　and　final　aim；　secondly；　the　means　for　realising　it；　i。e。　the
subjective　side　of　knowledge　and　will；　with　its　life；　movement；　and　activity。　We　then　recognised
the　State　as　the　moral　Whole　and　the　Reality　of　Freedom；　and　consequently　as　the　objective　unity
of　these　two　elements。　For　although　we　make　this　distinction　into　two　aspects　for　our
consideration；　it　must　be　remarked　that　they　are　intimately　connected；　and　that　their　connection　is
involved　in　the　idea　of　each　when　examined　separately。　We　have；　on　the　one　hand；　recognised　the
Idea　in　the　definite　form　of　Freedom　conscious　of　and　willing　itself；　…　having　itself　alone　as　its
object：　involving　at　the　same　time；　the　pure　and　simple　Idea　of　Reason；　and　likewise；　that　which
we　have　called　subject　…　self…consciousness　…　Spirit　actually　existing　in　the　World。　If；　on　the　other
hand；　we　consider　Subjectivity；　we　find　that　subjective　knowledge　and　will　is　Thought。　But　by　the
very　act　of　thoughtful　cognition　and　volition；　I　will　the　universal　object　…　the　substance　of　absolute
Reason。　We　observe；　therefore；　an　essential　union　between　the　objective　side　…　the　Idea；　…　and　the
subjective　side　…　the　personality　that　conceives　and　wills　it。　…　The　objective　existence　of　this　union
is　the　State；　which　is　therefore　the　basis　and　centre　of　the　other　concrete　elements　of　the　life　of　a
people；　…　of　Art；　of　Law；　of　Morals；　of　Religion；　of　Science。　All　the　activity　of　Spirit　has　only　this
object　…　the　being　conscious　of　this　union；　i。e。；　of　its　own　Freedom。　Among　the　forms　of　this
conscious　union　Religion　occupies　the　highest　position。　In　it；　Spirit　…　rising　above　the　limitations　of
temporal　and　secular　existence　…　bees　conscious　of　the　Absolute　Spirit；　and　in　this
consciousness　of　the　self…existent　Being；　renounces　its　individual　interest；　it　lays　this　aside　in
Devotion　…　a　state　of　mind　in　which　it　refuses　to　occupy　itself　any　longer　with　the　limited　and
particular。　By　Sacrifice　man　expresses　his　renunciation　of　his　property；　his　will；　his　individual
feelings。　The　religious　concentration　of　the　soul　appears　in　the　form　of　feeling；　it　nevertheless
passes　also　into　reflection；　a　form　of　worship　（cultus）　is　a　result　of　reflection。　The　second　form　of
the　union　of　the　objective　and　subjective　in　the　human　spirit　is　Art。　This　advances　farther　into　the
realm　of　the　actual　and　sensuous　than　Religion。　In　its　noblest　walk　it　is　occupied　with　representing；
not　indeed；　the　Spirit　of　God；　but　certainly　the　Form　of　God；　and　in　its　secondary　aims；　that　which
is　divine　and　spiritual　generally。　Its　office　is　to　render　visible　the　Divine；　presenting　it　to　the
imaginative　and　intuitive　faculty。　But　the　True　is　the　object　not　only　of　conception　and　feeling；　as　in
Religion；　…　and　of　Intuition；　as　in　Art；　…　but　also　of　the　thinking　faculty；　and　this　gives　us　the　third
form　of　the　union　in　question　…　Philosophy。　This　is　consequently　the　highest；　freest；　and　wisest
phase。　Of　course　we　are　not　intending　to　investigate　these　three　phases　here；　they　have　only
suggested　themselves　in　virtue　of　their　occupying　the　same　general　ground　as　the　object　here
considered　…　the　State。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　51

The　general　principle　which　manifests　itself　and　bees　an　object　of　consciousness　in　the　State；　…
the　form　under　which　all　that　the　State　includes　is　brought；　is　the　whole　of　that　cycle　of　phenomena
which　constitutes　the　culture　of　a　nation。　But　the　definite　substance　that　receives　the　form　of
universality；　and　exists　in　that　concrete　reality　which　is　the　State；　…　is　the　Spirit　of　the　People　itself。
The　actual　State　is　animated　by　this　spirit；　in　all　its　particular　affairs　…　its　Wars；　Institutions；　&c。　But
man　must　also　attain　a　conscious　realisation　of　this　his　Spirit　and　essential　nature；　and　of　his　original
identity　with　it。　For　we　said　that　morality　is　the　identity　of　the　subjective　or　personal　with　the
universal　will。　Now　the　mind　must　give　itself　an　express　consciousness　of　this；　and　the　focus　of
this　knowledge　is　Religion。　Art　and　Science　are　only　various　aspects　and　forms　of　the　same
substantial　being。　In　considering　Religion；　the　chief　point　of　enquiry　is　whether　it　recognises　the
True　…　the　Idea　…　only　in　its　separate；　abstract　form；　or　in　its　true　unity；　in　separation　…　God　being
represented　in　an　abstract　form　as　the　Highest　Being；　Lord　of　Heaven　and　Earth；　living　in　a　remote
region　far　from　human　actualities；　…　or　in　its　unity；　…　God；　as　Unity　of　the　Universal　and　Individual；
the　Individual　itself　assuming　the　aspect　of　positive　and　real　existence　in　the　idea　of　the　Incarnation。
Religion　is　the　sphere　in　which　a　nation　gives　itself　the　definition　of　that　which　it　regards　as　the
True。　A　definition　contains　everything　that　belongs　to　the　essence　of　an　object；　reducing　its　nature
to　its　simple　characteristic　predicate；　as　a　mirror　for　every　predicate；　…　the　generic　soul　Pervading
all　its　details。　The　conception　of　God；　therefore；　constitutes　the　general　basis　of　a　people's
character。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　52

In　this　aspect；　religion　stands　in　the　closest　connection　with　the　political　principle。　Freedom　can
exist　only　where　Individuality　is　recognised　as　having　its　positive　and　real　existence　in　the　Divine
Being。　The　connection　may　be　further　explained　thus：　…　Secular　existence；　as　merely　temporal　…
occupied　with　particular　interests　…　is　consequently　only　relative　and　unauthorised；　and　receives　its
validity　only　in　as　far　as　the　universal　soul　that　pervades　it　…　its　principle　…　receives　absolute　validity；
which　it　cannot　have　unless　it　is　recognised　as　the　definite　manifestation；　the　phenomenal　existence
of　the　Divine　Essence。　On　this　account　it　is　that　the　State　rests　on　Religion。　We　hear　this　often
repeated　in　our　times；　though　for　the　most　part　nothing　further　is　meant　than　that　individual　subjects
as　God…fearing　men　would　be　more　disposed　and　ready　to　perform　their　duty；　since　obedience　to
King　and　Law　so　naturally　follows　in　the　train　of　reverence　for　God。　This　reverence；　indeed；　since
it　exalts　the　general　over　the　special；　may　even　turn　upon　the　latter；　…　bee　fanatical；　…　and　work
with　incendiary　and　destructive　violence　against　the　State；　its　institutions；　and　arrangements。
Religious　feeling；　therefore；　it　is　thought；　should　be　sober　…　kept　in　a　certain　degree　of　coolness；　…
that　it　may　not　storm　against　and　bear　down　that　which　should　be　defended　and　preserved　by　it。
The　possibility　of　such　a　catastrophe　is　at　least　latent　in　it。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　53

While；　however；　the　correct　sentiment　is　adopted；　that　the　State　is　based　on　Religion；　the　position
thus　assigned　to　Religion　supposes　the　State　already　to　exist；　and　that　subsequently；　in　order　to
maintain　it；　Religion　must　be　brought　into　it　…　buckets　and　bushels　as　it　were　…　and　impressed　upon
people's　hearts。　It　is　quite　true　that　men　must　be　trained　to　religion；　but　not　as　to　something　whose
existence　has　yet　to　begin。　For　in　affirming　that　the　State　is　based　on　Religion　…　that　it　has　its　roots
in　it　…　we　virtually　assert　that　the　former　has　proceeded　from　the　latter；　and　that　this　derivation　is
going　on　now　and　will　always　continue；　i。e。；　the　principles　of　the　State　must　be　regarded　as　valid　in
and　for　themselves；　which　can　only　be　in　so　far　as　they　are　recognised　as　determinate
manifestations　of　the　Divine　Nature。　The　form　of　Religion；　therefore；　decides　that　of　the　State　and
its　constitution。　The　latter　actually　originated　in　the　particular　religion　adopted　by　the　nation；　so
that；　in　fact；　the　Athenian　or　the　Roman　State　was　possible　only　in　connection　with　the　specific
form　of　Heathenism　existing　among　the　respective　peoples；　just　as　a　Catholic　State　has　a　spirit　and
constitution　different　from　that　of　a　Protestant　one。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　54

If　that　outcry　…　that　urging　and　striving　for　the　implantation　of　Religion　in　the　munity　…　were　an
utterance　of　anguish　and　a　call　for　help；　as　it　often　seems　to　be；　expressing　the　danger　of　religion
having　vanished；　or　being　about　to　vanish　entirely　from　the　State；　…　that　would　be　fearful　indeed　…
worse　in　fact　than　this　outcry　supposes；　for　it　implies　the　belief　in　a　resource　against　the　evil；　viz。；
the　implantation　and　inculcation　of　religion；　whereas　religion　is　by　no　means　a　thing　to　be　so
produced；　its　self…production　（and　there　can　be　no　other）　lies　much　deeper。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　55

Another　and　opposite　folly　which　we　meet　with　in　our　time　is　that　of　pretending　to　invent　and　carry
out　political　constitutions　independently　of　religion。　The　Catholic　confession；　although　sharing　the
Christian　name　with　the　Protestant；　does　not　concede　to　the　State　an　inherent　Justice　and
Morality；　…　a　concession　which　in　the　Protestant　principle　is　fundamental。　This　tearing　away　of　the
political　morality　of　the　Constitution　from　its　natural　connection；　is　necessary　to　the　genius　of　that
religion；　inasmuch　as　it　does　not　recognise　Justice　and　Morality　as　independent　and　substantial。
But　thus　excluded　from　intrinsic　worth；　…　torn　away　from　their　last　refuge　…　the　sanctuary　of
conscience　…　the　calm　retreat　where　religion　has　its　abode；　…　the　principles　and　institutions　of
political　legislation　are　destitute　of　a　real　centre；　to　the　same　decree　as　they　are　pelled　to
remain　abstract　and　indefinite。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　56

Summing　up　what　has　been　said　of　the　State；　we　find　that　we　have　been　led　to　call　its　vital
principle；　as　actuating　the　individuals　who　pose　it；　…　Morality。　The　State；　its　laws；　its
arrangements；　constitute　the　rights　of　its　members；　its　natural　features；　its　mountains；　air；　and
waters；　are　their　country；　their　fatherland；　their　outward　material　property；　the　history　of　this
State；　their　deeds；　what　their　ancestors　have　produced；　belongs　to　them　and　lives　in　their
memory。　All　is　their　possession；　just　as　they　are　possessed　by　it；　for　it　constitutes　their　existence；
their　being。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　57

Their　imagination　is　occupied　with　the　ideas　thus　presented；　while　the　adoption　of　these　laws；　and
of　a　fatherland　so　conditioned　is　the　expression　of　their　will。　It　is　this　matured　totality　which　thus
constitutes　one　Being；　the　spirit　of　one　People。　To　it　the　individual　members　belong；　each　unit　is
the　Son　of　his　Nation；　and　at　the　same　time　…　in　as　far　as　the　State　to　which　he　belongs　is
undergoing　development　…　the　Son　of　his　Age。　None　remains　behind　it；　still　less　advances　beyond
it。　This　spiritual　Being　（the　Spirit　of　his　Time）　is　his；　he　is　a　representative　of　it；　it　is　that　in　which　he
originated；　and　in　which　he　lives。　Among　the　Athenians　the　word　Athens　had　a　double　import；
suggesting　primarily；　a　plex　of　Political　institutions；　but　no　less；　in　the　second　place；　that
Goddess