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suggesting　primarily；　a　plex　of　Political　institutions；　but　no　less；　in　the　second　place；　that
Goddess　who　represented　the　Spirit　of　the　People　and　its　unity。　This　Spirit　of　a　People　is　a
determinate　and　particular　Spirit；　and　is；　as　just　stated；　further　modified　by　the　degree　of　its
historical　development。　This　Spirit；　then；　constitutes　the　basis　and　substance　of　those　other　forms
of　a　nation's　consciousness；　which　have　been　noticed。　For　Spirit　in　its　self…consciousness　must
bee　a　object　of　contemplation　to　itself；　and　objectivity　involves；　in　the　first　instance；　the　rise　of
differences　which　make　up　a　total　of　distinct　spheres　of　objective　spirit；　in　the　same　way　as　the
Soul　exists　only　as　the　plex　of　its　faculties；　which　in　their　form　of　concentration　in　a　simple
unity　produce　that　Soul。　It　is　thus　One　Individuality　which；　presented　in　its　essence　as　God；　is
honoured　and　enjoyed　in　Religion；　which　is　exhibited　as　an　object　of　sensuous　contemplation　in
Art；　and　is　apprehended　as　an　intellectual　conception　in　Philosophy。　In　virtue　of　the　original
identity　of　their　essence；　purport；　and　object；　these　various　forms　are　inseparably　united　with　the
Spirit　of　the　State。　Only　in　connection　with　this　particular　religion　can　this　particular　political
constitution　exist；　just　as　in　such　or　such　a　State；　such　or　such　a　Philosophy　or　order　of　Art。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　58

The　remark　next　in　order　is；　that　each　particular　National　genius　is　to　be　treated　as　only　One
Individual　in　the　process　of　Universal　History。　For　that　history　is　the　exhibition　of　the　divine；
absolute　development　of　Spirit　in　its　highest　forms；　…　that　gradation　by　which　it　attains　its　truth　and
consciousness　of　itself。　The　forms　which　these　grades　of　progress　assume　are　the　characteristic
〃National　Spirits〃　of　History；　the　peculiar　tenor　of　their　moral　life；　of　their　Government；　their　Art；
Religion；　and　Science。　To　realise　these　grades　is　the　boundless　impulse　of　the　World…Spirit　…　the
goal　of　its　irresistible　urging；　for　this　division　into　organic　members；　and　the　full　development　of
each；　is　its　Idea。　…　Universal　History　is　exclusively　occupied　with　showing　how　Spirit　es　to　a
recognition　and　adoption　of　the　Truth：　the　dawn　of　knowledge　appears；　it　begins　to　discover
salient　principles；　and　at　last　it　arrives　at　full　consciousness。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　59

Having；　therefore；　learned　the　abstract　characteristics　of　the　nature　of　Spirit；　the　means　which　it
uses　to　realise　its　Idea；　and　the　shape　assumed　by　it　in　its　plete　realisation　in　phenomenal
existence　…　namely；　the　State　…　nothing　further　remains　for　this　introductory　section　to　contemplate
but　。。。




III。　Philosophic　History
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　iii。　The　course　of　the　World's　History

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　60

The　mutations　which　history　presents　have　been　long　characterised　in　the　general；　as　an　advance
to　something　better；　more　perfect。　The　changes　that　take　place　in　Nature　—　how　infinitely　manifold
soever　they　may　be　—　exhibit　only　a　perpetually　self…repeating　cycle；　in　Nature　there　happens
“nothing　new　under　the　sun；”　and　the　multiform　play　of　its　phenomena　so　far　induces　a　feeling　of
ennui；　only　in　those　changes　which　take　place　in　the　region　of　Spirit　does　anything　new　arise。　This
peculiarity　in　the　world　of　mind　has　indicated　in　the　case　of　man　an　altogether　different　destiny
from　that　of　merely　natural　objects　—　in　which　we　find　always　one　and　the　same　stable　character；
to　which　all　change　reverts；　—　namely；　a　real　capacity　for　change；　and　that　for　the；　better；　—　an
impulse　of　perfectibility。　This　principle；　which　reduces　change　itself　under　a　law；　has　met　with　an
unfavourable　reception　from　religions　—　such　as　the　Catholic　—　and　from　States　claiming　as　their
just　right　a　stereotyped；　or　at　least　a　stable　position。　If　the　mutability　of　worldly　things　in　general　—
political　constitutions；　for　instance　—　is　conceded；　either　Religion　（as　the　Religion　of　Truth）　is
absolutely　excepted；　or　the　difficulty　escaped　by　ascribing　changes；　revolutions；　and　abrogations
of　immaculate　theories　and　institutions；　to　accidents　or　imprudence；　—　but　principally　to　the　levity
and　evil　passions　of　man。　The　principle　of　Perfectibility　indeed　is　almost　as　indefinite　a　term　as
mutability　in　general；　it　is　without　scope　or　goal；　and　has　no　standard　by　which　to　estimate　the
changes　in　question：　the　improved；　more　perfect；　state　of　things　towards　which　it　professedly　tends
is　altogether　undetermined。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　61

The　principle　of　Development　involves　also　the　existence　of　a　latent　germ　of　being　—　a　capacity
or　potentiality　striving　to　realise　itself。　This　formal　conception　finds　actual　existence　in　Spirit；　which
has　the　History　of　the　World　for　its　theatre；　its　possession；　and　the　sphere　of　its　realisation。　It　is　not
of　such　a　nature　as　to　be　tossed　to　and　fro　amid　the　superficial　play　of　accidents；　but　is　rather　the
absolute　arbiter　of　things；　entirely　unmoved　by　contingencies；　which；　indeed；　it　applies　and
manages　for　its　own　purposes。　Development；　however；　is　also　a　property　of　organised　natural
objects。　Their　existence　presents　itself；　not　as　an　exclusively　dependent　one；　subjected　to　external
changes；　but　as　one　which　expands　itself　in　virtue　of　an　external　unchangeable　principle；　a　simple
essence；　—　whose　existence；　i。e。；　as　a　germ；　is　primarily　simple；　—　but　which　subsequently
develops　a　variety　of　parts；　that　bee　involved　with　other　objects；　and　consequently　live
through　a　continuous　process　of　changes；　—　a　process　nevertheless；　that　results　in　the　very
contrary　of　change；　and　is　even　transformed　into　a　vis　conservatrix　of　the　organic　principle；　and
the　form　embodying　it。　Thus　the　organised　individuum　produces　itself；　it　expands　itself　actually　to
what　it　was　always　potentially：　So　Spirit　is　only　that　which　it　attains　by　its　own　efforts；　it　makes
itself　actually　what　it　always　was　potentially。　—　That　development　（of　natural　organisms）　takes
place　in　a　direct；　unopposed；　unhindered　manner。　Between　the　Idea　and　its　realisation　—　the
essential　constitution　of　the　original　germ　and　the　conformity　to　it　of　the　existence　derived　from　it
—　no　disturbing　influence　can　intrude。　But　in　relation　to　Spirit　it　is　quite　otherwise。　The　realisation
of　its　Idea　is　mediated　by　consciousness　and　will；　these　very　faculties　are；　in　the　first　instance；　sunk
in　their　primary　merely　natural　life；　the　first　object　and　goal　of　their　striving　is　the　realisation　of　their
merely　natural　destiny；　—　but　which；　since　it　is　Spirit　that　animates　it；　is　possessed　of　vast
attractions　and　displays　great　power　and　＇moral＇　richness。　Thus　Spirit　is　at　war　with　itself　；　it　has　to
overe　itself　as　its　most　formidable　obstacle。　That　development　which　in　the　sphere　of　Nature　is
a　peaceful　growth；　is　in　that　of　Spirit；　a　severe；　a　mighty　conflict　with　itself。　What　Spirit　really
strives　for　is　the　realisation　of　its　Ideal　being；　but　in　doing　so；　it　hides　that　goal　from　its　own　vision；
and　is　proud　and　well　satisfied　in　this　alienation　from　it。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　62

Its　expansion；　therefore；　does　not　present　the　harmless　tranquillity　of　mere　growth；　as　does　that　of
organic　life；　but　a　stern　reluctant　working　against　itself。　It　exhibits；　moreover；　not　the　mere　formal
conception　of　development；　but　the　attainment　of　a　definite　result。　The　goal　of　attainment　we
determined　at　the　outset：　it　is　Spirit　in　its　pleteness；　in　its　essential　nature；　i。e。；　Freedom。　This
is　the　fundamental　object；　and　therefore　also　the　leading　principle　of　the　development；　—　that
whereby　it　receives　meaning　and　importance　（as　in　the　Roman　history；　Rome　is　the　object　—
consequently　that　which　directs　our　consideration　of　the　facts　related）；　as；　conversely；　the
phenomena　of　the　process　have　resulted　from　this　principle　alone；　and　only　as　referred　to　it；
possess　a　sense　and　value。　There　are　many　considerable　periods　in　History　in　which　this
development　seems　to　have　been　intermitted；　in　which　we　might　rather　say；　the　whole　enormous
gain　of　previous　culture　appears　to　have　been　entirely　lost；　after　which；　unhappily；　a　new
mencement　has　been　necessary；　made　in　the　hope　of　recovering　—　by　the　assistance　of　some
remains　saved　from　the　wreck　of　a　former　civilisation　and　by　dint　of　a　renewed　incalculable
expenditure　of　strength　and　time；　—　one　of　the　regions　which　had　been　an　ancient　possession　of
that　civilisation。　We　behold　also　continued　processes　of　growth；　structures　and　systems　of　culture
in　particular　spheres；　rich　in　kind；　and　well　developed　in　every　direction。　The　merely　formal　and
indeterminate　view　of　development　in　general　can　neither　assign　to　one　form　of　expansion
superiority　over　the　other；　nor　render　prehensible　the　object　of　that　decay　of　older　periods　of
growth；　but　must　regard　such　occurrences；　—　or；　to　speak　more　particularly；　the　retrocessions
they　exhibit；　—　as　external　contingencies；　and　can　only　judge　of　particular　modes　of　development
from　indeterminate　points　of　view；　which　—　since　the　development　as　such；　is　all　in　all　—　are
relative　and　not　absolute　goals　of　attainment。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　63

Universal　History　exhibits　the　gradation　in　the　development　of　that　principle　whose　substantial
purport　is　the　consciousness　of　Freedom。　The　analysis　of　the　successive　grades；　in　their　abstract
form；　belongs　to　Logic；　in　their　concrete　aspect　to　the　Philosophy　of　Spirit。　Here　it　is　sufficient　to
state　that　the　first　step　in　the　process　presents　that　immersion　of　Spirit　in　Nature　which　has　been
already　referred　to；　the　second　shows　it　as　advancing　to　the　consciousness　of　its　freedom。　But　this
initial　separation　from　Nature　is　imperfect　and　partial；　since　it　is　derived　immediately　from　the
merely　natural　state；　is　consequently　related　to　it；　and　is　still　encumbered　with　it　as　an　essentially
connected　element。　The　third　step　is　the　elevation　of　the　soul　from　this　still　limited　and　special　form
of　freedom　to　its　pure　universal　form；　that　state　in　which　the　spiritual　essence　attains　the
consciousness　and　feeling　of　itself。　These　grades　are　the　ground…principles　of　the　general　process；
but　how　each　of　them　on　the　other　hand　involves　within　itself　a　process　of　formation；　—
constituting　the　links　in　a　dialectic　of　transition；　—　to　particularise　this　may　be　reserved　for　the
sequel。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　64

Here　we　have　only　to　indicate　that　Spirit　begins　with　a　germ　of　infinite　possibility；　but　only
possibility；　—　containing　its　substantial　existence　in　an　undeveloped　form；　as　the　object　and　goal
which　it　reaches　only　in　its　resultant　—　full　reality。　In　actual　existence　Progress　appears　as　an
advancing　from　the　imperfect　to　the　more　perfect；　but　the　former　must　not　be　understood
abstractly　as　only　the　imperfect；　but　as　something　which　involves　the　very　opposite　of　itself　—　the
so…called　perfect　—　as　a　germ　or　impulse。　So　—　reflectively；　at　least　…　possibility　points　to
something　destined　to　bee　actual；　the　Aristotelian　is　also　potentia；　power　and　might。　Thus　the
Imperfect；　as　involving　its　opposite；　is　a　contradiction；　which　certainly　exists；　but　which　is
continually　annulled　and　solved；　the　instinctive　movement　—　the　inherent　impulse　in　the　life　of　the
soul　—　to　break　through　the　rind　of　mere　nature；　sensuousness；　and　that　which　is　alien　to　it；　and　to
attain　to　the　light　of　consciousness；　i。e。　to　itself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　65

We　have　already　made　the　remark　how　the　mencement　of　the　history　of　Spirit　must　be
conceived　so　as　to　be　in　harmony　with　its　Idea　—　in　its　bearing　on　the　representations　that　have
been　made　of　a　primitive　“natural　condition；”　in　which　freedom　and　justice　are　supposed　to
exist；　or　to　have　existed。　This　was；　however；　nothing　more　than　an　assumption　of　historical
existence；　conceived　in　the　twilight　of　theorising　reflection。　A　pretension　of　quite　another　order；　—
not　a　mere　inference　of　reasoning；　but　making　the　claim　of　historical　fact；　and　that　supernaturally
confirmed；　—　is　put　forth　in　connection　with　a　different　view　that　is　now　widely　promulgated