formations of this self…consciousness in the course of its liberation … the
world…historical realms … are four in number。
§ 353。
In its first and immediate revelation； mind has as its principle the shape of the
substantial mind； i。e。 the shape of the identity in which individuality is absorbed in
its essence and its claims are not explicitly recognised。
The second principle is this substantial mind endowed with knowledge so that
mind is both the positive content and filling of mind and also the individual
self…awareness which is the living form of mind。 This principle is ethical
individuality as beauty。
The third principle is the inward deepening of this individual self…awareness and
knowledge until it reaches abstract universality and therefore infinite opposition to
the objective world which in the same process has become mind…forsaken。
The principle of the fourth formation is the conversion of this opposition so that
mind receives in its inner life its truth and concrete essence； while in objectivity it
is at home and reconciled with itself。 The mind which has thus reverted to the
substantiality with which it began is the mind which has returned out of the
infinite opposition； and which consequently engenders and knows this its truth as
thought and as a world of actual laws。
§ 354。
In accordance with these four principles； the world…historical realms are the
following： （1） the Oriental； （2） the Greek； （3） the Roman； （4） the Germanic。
§ 355。
（1） The Oriental realm。
The world…view of this first realm is substantial； without inward division； and it
arises in natural communities patriarchically governed。 According to this view； the
mundane form of government is theocratic； the ruler is also a high priest or God
himself； constitution and legislation are at the same time religion； while religious
and moral commands； or usages rather； are at the same time natural and positive
law。 In the magnificence of this r6gime as a whole； individual personality loses its
rights and perishes； the external world of nature is either directly divine or else
God's ornament； and the history of the actual is poetry。 Distinctions are
developed in customs； government； and state on their many sides； and in default
of laws and amidst the simplicity of manners； they become unwieldy； diffuse； and
superstitious ceremonies； the accidents of personal power and arbitrary rule； and
class differences become crystallised into hereditary castes。 Hence in the Oriental
state nothing is fixed； and what is stable is fossilised； it lives therefore only in an
outward movement which becomes in the end an elemental fury and desolation。
Its inner calm is merely the calm of non…political life and immersion in feebleness
and exhaustion。
Remark： A still substantial； natural； mentality is a moment in the development of the state； and
the point at which any state takes this form is the absolute beginning of its history。 This has been
emphasised and demonstrated with learning and profound insight in connection with the history of
particular states by Dr。 Stuhr in his book Der Untergang。 der Naturstaaten … work in which he
leads the way to a rational treatment of constitutional history and of history generally。 The principle
of subjectivity and self…conscious freedom is there too shown to be the principle of the Germanic
people； but the book goes no further than the decline of natural states； and consequently the
principle is only brought to the point where it appears either as a restless mobility； as human
caprice and corruption； or in its particular form as emotion； and where it has not yet developed to
the objectivity of the self…conscious substantiality or to an organised legal system。
§ 356。
（2） The Greek realm。
This realm possesses this substantial unity of finite and infinite； but only as a
mysterious background； suppressed in dim recesses of the memory； in caves and
traditional imagery。 This background； reborn out of the mind which differentiates
itself to individual mentality； emerges into the daylight of knowing and is
tempered and transfigured into beauty and a free and unruffled ethical life。 Hence
it is in a world of this character that the principle of personal individuality arises；
though it is still not self…enclosed but kept in its ideal unity。 The result is that the
whole is divided into a group of particular national minds； ultimate decision is
ascribed not to the subjectivity of explicitly independent self…consciousness but to
a power standing above and outside it （see Remark to § 279）； on the other hand；
the due satisfaction of particular needs is not yet comprised in the sphere of
freedom but is relegated exclusively to a class of slaves。
§ 357。
（3） The Roman realm。
In this realm； differentiation is carried to its conclusion； and ethical life is
sundered without end into the extremes of the private self…consciousness of
persons on the one hand； and abstract universality on the other。 This opposition
begins in the clash between the substantial intuition of an aristocracy and the
principle of free personality in democratic form。 As the opposition grows； the first
of these opponents develops into superstition and the maintenance of heartless
self…seeking power； while the second becomes more and more corrupt until it
sinks into a rabble。 Finally； the whole is dissolved and the result is universal
misfortune and the destruction of ethical life。 National heroes die away into the
unity of a Pantheon； all individuals are degraded to the level of private persons
equal with one another； possessed of formal rights； and the only bond left to hold
them together is abstract insatiable self…will。
§ 358。
（4） The Germanic realm。
Mind and its world are thus both alike lost and plunged in the infinite grief of that
fate for which a people； the Jewish people； was held in readiness。 Mind is here
pressed back upon itself in the extreme of its absolute negativity。 This is the
absolute turning point； mind rises out of this situation and grasps the infinite
positivity of this its inward character； i。e。 it grasps the principle of the unity of the
divine nature and the human； the reconciliation of objective truth and freedom as
the truth and freedom appearing within self…consciousness and subjectivity； a
reconciliation with the fulfilment of which the principle of the north； the principle
of the Germanic peoples； has been entrusted。
§ 359。
This principle is first of all inward and abstract； it exists in feeling as faith； love；
and hope； the reconciliation and resolution of all contradiction。 It then discloses its
content； raising it to become actuality and self…conscious rationality； to become a
mundane realm proceeding from the heart； fidelity； and comradeship of free men；
a realm which in this its subjectivity is equally a realm of crude individual caprice
and barbarous manners。 This realm it sets over against a world of beyond； an
intellectual realm； whose content is indeed the truth of its （the principle's） mind；
but a truth not yet thought and so still veiled in barbarous imagery。 This world of
beyond； as the power of mind over the mundane heart； acts against the latter as a
compulsive and frightful force。
§ 360。
These two realms stand distinguished from one another though at the same time
they are rooted in a single unity and Idea。 Here their distinction is intensified to
absolute opposition and a stern struggle ensues in the course of which the realm
of mind lowers the place of its heaven to an earthly here and now； to a common
worldliness of fact and idea。 The mundane realm； on the other hand； builds up its
abstract independence into thought and the principle of rational being and
knowing； i。e。 into the rationality of right and law。 In this way their opposition
implicitly loses its marrow and disappears。 The realm of fact has discarded its
barbarity and unrighteous； caprice； while the realm of truth has abandoned the
world of beyond and its arbitrary force； so that the true reconciliation which
discloses the state as the image and actuality of reason has become objective。 In
the state； self…consciousness finds in an organic development the actuality of its
substantive knowing and willing； in religion； it finds the feeling and the
representation of this its own truth as an ideal essentiality； while in philosophic
science； it finds the free comprehension and knowledge of this truth as one and
the same in its mutually complementary manifestations； i。e。 in the state； in nature；
and in the ideal world。
The End