duality of individuality； and in contrast to the ethical necessity of this unity； nature appears as by
accident providing more than one。 These two ＇brothers＇； therefore； become disunited； and their
equal right in regard to the power of the state is destructive to both； for they are equally wrong。
Humanly considered； he has committed the crime who； not being in actual possession； attacks the
community； at the head of which the other stood。 While again he has right on his side who knew
how to seize the other merely qua particular individual； detached from the community； and who
banished him； while thus powerless； out of the community； he has merely laid hands on the
individual as such； not the community； not the essential nature of human right。 The community；
attacked and defended from a point of view which is merely particular； maintains itself； and both
brothers find their destruction reciprocally through one another。 For individuality； which involves
peril to the whole in the maintenance of its own self…existence （Fürsichseyn）； has thrust its own
self out of the community； and is disintegrated in its own nature。 The community； however； will do
honour to the one who is found on its side； the government； the reestablished singleness of the self
of the community； will punish by depriving of the last honour him who already proclaimed its
devastation on the walls of the city。 He who came to affront the highest spiritual form of conscious
life； the spirit of the community； must be stripped of the honour of his entire and complete nature；
the honour due to the spirit of the departed。（6）
But if the universal thus lightly knocks off the highest point of its pyramid； and doubtless triumphs
victoriously over the family； the rebellious principle of individuation； it has thereby merely put itself
into conflict with divine law； the self…conscious with the unconscious spirit。 For the latter； this
unconscious spirit； is the other essential power； and therefore the power undestroyed； and only
insulted by the former。 It finds； however； only a bloodless shade to lend it help towards actually
carrying itself out in the face of that masterful and openly enunciated law。 Being the law of
weakness and of darkness； it therefore gives way； to begin with； before law which has force and
publicity； for the strength of the former is effective in the nether realm； not on earth and in the light
of day。 But the actual and concrete； which has taken away from what is inward its honour and its
power； has thereby consumed its own real nature。 The spirit which is manifest to the light of day
has the roots of its power in the lower world： the certainty felt by a nation； a certainty which is sure
of itself and which makes itself assured； finds the truth of its oath binding all its members into one；
solely in the mute unconscious substance of all； in the waters of forgetfulness。 In consequence； the
fulfilment of the public spirit turns round into its opposite； and learns that its supreme right is
supreme wrong； its victory rather its own defeat。 The slain； whose right is injured； knows；
therefore； how to find means of vengeance which are equally as real and strong as the power at
whose hands it has suffered。 These powers are other communities；（7） whose altars the dogs or
birds defiled with the corpse of the dead； which is not raised into unconscious universality by being
restored； as is its due； to the ultimate individuum； the elemental earth； but instead has remained
above ground in the sphere of reality； and has now received； as the force of divine law； a
self…conscious actual universality。 They rise up in hostility； and destroy the community which has
dishonoured and destroyed its own power； the sacred claims； the 〃piety〃 of the family。
Represented in this way； the movement of human and divine law finds the expression of its
necessity in individuals； in whom the universal appears as a 〃pathic〃 element； and the activity of the
movement as action of individuals； which gives the appearance of contingency to the necessity of
the process。 But individuality and action constitute the principle of individuation in general； a
principle which in its pure universality was called inner divine law。 As a moment of the visible
community it does not merely exhibit that unconscious activity of the nether world； its operation is
not simply external in its existence； it has an equally manifest visible existence and process； actual
in the actual nation。 Taken in this form； what was represented as a simple process of the 〃pathic〃
element as embodied in individuals； assumes another look； and crime and the resulting ruin of the
community assume the proper form of their existence。
Human law； then； in its universal mode of existence is the community； in its efficient operation in
general is the manhood of the community； in its actual efficient operation is the government。 It has
its being； its process； and its subsistence by consuming and absorbing into itself the separatist
action of the household gods （Penates）； the individualization into insular independent families
which are under the management of womankind； and by keeping them dissolved in the fluent
continuum of its own nature。 The family at the same time； however； is in general its element； the
individual consciousness its universal operative basis。 Since the community gets itself subsistence
only by breaking in upon family happiness； and dissolving ＇individual＇ self…consciousness into the
universal； it creates its enemy for itself within its own gates； creates it in what it suppresses； and
what is at the same time essential to it — womankind in general。 Womankind the everlasting irony
in the life of the community changes by intrigue the universal purpose of government into a private
end； transforms its universal activity into a work of this or that specific individual； and perverts the
universal property of the state into a possession and ornament for the family。 Woman in this way
turns to ridicule the grave wisdom of maturity； which； being dead to all particular aims； to private
pleasure； personal satisfaction； and actual activity as well； thinks of； and is concerned for； merely
what is universal； she makes this wisdom the laughing…stock of raw and wanton youth； an object
of derision and scorn； unworthy of their enthusiasm。 She asserts that it is everywhere the force of
youth that really counts； she upholds this as of primary significance； extols a son as one who is the
lord and master of the mother who has borne him； a brother as one in whom the sister finds man
on a level with herself； a youth as one through whom the daughter； freed from her dependence （on
the family unity）； acquires the satisfaction and the dignity of wifehood。
3。 Dissolution of the Ethical Being
The community； however； can preserve itself only by suppressing this spirit of individualism； and
because the latter is an essential element； the community likewise creates it as well； and creates it；
too； by taking up the attitude of seeking to suppress it as a hostile principle。 Nevertheless； since；
by cutting itself off from the universal purpose； this hostile element is merely evil； and in itself of no
account； it would be quite ineffective if the community itself did not recognize the force of youth；
（manhood； which； while immature； still remains in the condition of particularity）； as the force of the
whole。 For the community； the whole； is a nation； it is itself individuality； and really only is
something for itself by other individualities being for it； by its excluding these from itself and
knowing itself independent of them。 The negative side of the community； suppressing the isolation
of individuals within its own bounds； but originating activity directed beyond those bounds； finds
the weapons of its warfare in individuals。 War is the spirit and form in which the essential moment
of ethical substance； the adsolute freedom of ethical self…consciousness from all and every kind of
existence； is manifestly confirmed and realized。 While； on the one hand； war makes the particular
spheres of property and personal independence； as well as the personality of the individual himself；
feel the force of negation and destruction； on the other hand this engine of negation and destruction
stands out as that which preserves the whole in security。 The individual who provides pleasure to
woman； the brave youth； the suppressed principle of ruin and destruction； comes now into
prominence； and is the factor of primary significance and worth。 It is now physical strength and
what seems like the chance of fortune； that decide as to the existence of ethical life and spiritual
necessity。 Because the existence of the ethical life thus rests on physical strength and the chances
of fortune； it is eo ipso settled that its overthrow has come。 While only household gods； in the
former case； gave way before and were absorbed in the national spirit； here the living individual
embodiments of the national spirit fall by their own individuality and disappear in one universal
community； whose bare universality is soulless and dead； and whose living activity is found in the
particular individual qua particular。 The ethical form and embodiment of the life of spirit has
passed away； and another mode appears in its place。
This disappearance of the ethical substance； and its transition into another mode are thus
determined by the ethical consciousness being directed upon the law essentially in an immediate
way。 It lies in this character of immediacy that nature at all enters into the acts which constitute the
ethical life。 Its realization simply reveals the contradiction and the germ of destruction； which lie hid
within that very peace and beauty belonging to the gracious harmony and peaceful equilibrium of
the ethical spirit。 For the essence and meaning of this immediacy contains a contradiction： it is at
once the unconscious peace of nature and the self…conscious unresting peace of spirit。 On account
of this 〃naturalness〃； this ethical nation is； in general； an individuality determined by nature； and
therefore limited； and thus finds its dissolution in； and gives place to； an