believed to be； and hovers there merely as an exhalation of stale gas； of the empty être suprême。
By doing； away with the various distinct spiritual spheres； and the restricted and confined life of
individuals； as well as both its worlds； there thus remains merely the process of the universal
self…consciousness within itselfa process which consists in a reciprocal interaction between its
universal form and personal consciousness。 The universal will goes into itself； is subjectivized； and
becomes individual will； to which the universal law and universal work stand opposed。 But this
individual consciousness is equally and immediately conscious of itself as universal will； it is fully
aware that its object is a law given by that will； a work performed by that will； in exercising and
carrying out its activity； in creating objectivity； it is thus doing nothing individual； but executing laws
and functions of the state。
This process is consequently the interaction of consciousness with itself； in which it lets nothing
break away and assume the shape of a detached object standing over against it。 It follows from
this； that it cannot arrive at a positive accomplishment of anything； either in the way of universal
works of language or of those of actual reality； either in the shape of laws and universal regulations
of conscious freedom； or of deeds and works of active freedom。
The accomplished result at which this freedom； that gives itself consciousness； might manage to
arrive； would consist in the fact that such freedom qua universal substance made itself into an
object and an abiding existence。 This objective otherness would there be the differentiation which
enabled it to divide itself into stable spiritual spheres and into the members of distinct powers。
These spheres would partly be the thought…constituted factors of a power that is differentiated into
legislative； judicial and executive； but partly they would be the substantial elements we found in the
real world of spiritual culture； and； since the content of universal action would be more closely
taken note of； they would be the particular spheres of labour； which are further distinguished as
more specific 〃estates〃 or social ranks。 Universal freedom； which would have differentiated itself in
this manner into its various parts； and by the very fact of doing so would have made itself an
existing substance； would thereby be free from particular individualities； and could apportion the
plurality of individuals to its several organic parts。
The activity and being of personality would； however； find itself by this process confined to a
branch of the whole； to one kind of action and existence； when placed in the element of existence；
personality would bear the meaning of a determinate personality； it would cease to be in reality
universal self…consciousness。 Neither by the idea of submission to self…imposed laws； which would
assign to it only a part of the whole work； nor by its being represented when legislation and
universal action take place； does self…consciousness here let itself be cheated out of the actual
realitythe fact that itself lays down the law and itself accomplishes a universal and not a
particular task。 For in the case where the self is merely represented and ideally presented
（vorgestellt）； there it is not actual： where it is by proxy； it is not。（2）
Just as the individual self…consciousness does not find itself in this universal work of absolute
freedom qua existing substance； as little does it find itself in the deeds proper； and specific
individual acts of will； performed by this substance。 For the universal to pass into a deed； it must
gather itself into the single unity of individuality； and put an individual consciousness in the
forefront； for universal will is an actual concrete will only in a self that is single and one。 Thereby；
however； all other individuals are excluded from the entirety of this deed； and have only a
restricted share in it； so that the deed would not be a deed of real universal self…consciousness。
Universal freedom can thus produce neither a positive achievement nor a deed； there is left for it
only negative action； it is merely the rage and fury of destruction。
But the highest reality of all and the reality most of all opposed to absolute freedom； or rather the
sole object it is yet to become aware of； is the freedom and singleness of actual self…consciousness
itself。 For that universality which does not let itself attain the reality of organic articulation； and
whose purpose is to maintain itself in unbroken continuity； distinguishes itself within itself all the
while； because it is process or consciousness in general。 Moreover； on account of its own peculiar
abstraction； it divides itself into extremes equally abstract； into the cold unbending bare
universality； and the hard discrete absolute rigidity and stubborn atomic singleness of actual
self…consciousness。 Now that it is done with destroying the organization of the actual world； and
subsists in isolated singleness； this is its sole object； an object that has no other content left； no
other possession； existence and external extension； but is merely this knowledge of itself as
absolutely pure and free individual self。 The point at which this object can be laid hold of is solely
its abstract existence in general。
The relation； then； of these two； since they exist for themselves indivisibly and absolutely and thus
cannot arrange for a common part to act as a means for connecting them； is pure negation entirely
devoid of mediation； the negation； moreover； of the individual as a factor existing within the
universal。 The sole and only work and deed accomplished by universal freedom is therefore
deatha death that achieves nothing； embraces nothing within its grasp； for what is negated is the
unachieved； unfulfilled punctual entity of the absolutely free self。 It is thus the most cold…blooded
and meaningless death of all； with no more significance than cleaving a head of cabbage or
swallowing a draught of water。
In this single expressionless syllable consists the wisdom of the government； the intelligence of the
universal will； this is how it fulfils itself。 The government is itself nothing but the self…established
focus； the individual embodiment of the universal will。 Government； a power to will and perform
proceeding from a single focus； wills and performs at the same time a determinate order and
action。 In doing so it； on the one hand； excludes other individuals from a share in its deed； and； on
the other； thereby constitutes itself a form of government which is a specifically determinate will
and eo ipso opposed to the universal will。 By no manner of means； therefore； can it exhibit itself as
anything but a faction。 The victorious faction only is called the government； and just in that it is a
faction lies the direct necessity of its overthrow； and its being government makes it； conversely；
into a faction and hence guilty。 When the universal will fastens on this concrete action of the
government and treats this as the crime which the government has committed against the universal
will； then the government on its side has nothing tangible and external left whereby to establish and
show the guilt of the will opposing itself to it； for what thus stands opposed to it as concrete actual
universal will is merely unreal pure will； mere intention。 Being suspected； therefore； takes the place；
or has the significance and effect； of being guilty； and the external reaction against this reality that
lies in bare inward intention； consists in the and barren destruction of this particular existent self； in
whose case there is nothing else to take away but its mere existence。
In this its characteristically peculiar performance； absolute freedom becomes objective to itself；
and self…consciousness finds out what this freedom is。 In itself it is just this abstract
self…consciousness； which destroys all distinction and all subsistence of distinction within itself。 It is
object to itself in this shape； the terror of death is the direct apprehension （Anschauung） of this its
negative nature。 This its reality； however； absolute free self…consciousness finds quite different from
what its own notion of itself was； viz。 that the universal will is merely the positive substance of
personality； and that this latter knows itself in it only positively； knows itself preserved there。
Rather for this self …consciousness； which qua pure insight completely separates its positive and
negative natureseparates the unpredicated Absolute qua pure thought and qua pure matterthe
absolute transition of the one into the other is found here present in its reality。 The universal will；
qua absolutely positive concrete self…consciousnessbecause it is this self…conscious actuality
raised to the level of pure thought or abstract matterturns round into the negative entity； and
shows itself at the same time to be what cancels and does away with self…thinking or
self…consciousness。
Absolute freedom qua pure self…identity of universal will thus carries with it negation； but in doing
so contains distinction in general； and develops this again as concrete actual difference。 For pure
negativity finds in the self…identical universal will the element of subsistence； or the substance in
which its moments get their realization； it has the matter which it can convert into the specific
nature of its own being； and in so far as this substance has manifested itself to be the negative
element for the individual consciousness； the organization of the spiritual spheres or 〃masses〃 of the
substance； to which the plurality of conscious individuals is assigned； thus takes shape and form
once more。 These individuals； who felt the fear of death； their absolute lord and master； submit to
negation and distinction once more； arrange themselves under the 〃spheres〃； and return to a
restricted。 and apportioned task； but thereby to their substantial reality。
Out of this tumult spirit would be； hurled back upon its starting point； the ethical world and the real
world of spiritual culture； which would thus have been merely refreshed and rejuvenated by t