philosophy of right-第47章

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a　genuine　patriotic　sentiment　or　to　excuse　their　lack　of　it。　If　again　this　genuine　patriotism　is　looked
upon　as　that　which　may　begin　of　itself　and　arise　from　subjective　ideas　and　thoughts；　it　is　being
confused　with　opinion；　because　so　regarded　patriotism　is　deprived　of　its　true　ground；　objective
reality。　

Addition：　Immature　minds　delight　in　argumentation　and　fault…finding；　because　it　is　easy　enough
to　find　fault；　though　hard　to　see　the　good　and　its　inner　necessity。　The　learner　always　begins　by
finding　fault；　but　the　scholar　sees　the　positive　merit　in　everything。　In　religion；　this　or　that　is　quickly
dismissed　as　superstitious；　but　it　is　infinitely　harder　to　apprehend　the　truth　underlying　the
superstition。　Hence　men's　apparent　sentiment　towards　the　state　is　to　be　distinguished　from　what
they　really　will；　inwardly　they　really　will　the　thing；　but　they　cling　to　details　and　take　delight　in　the
vanity　of　pretending　to　know　better。　We　are　confident　that　the　state　must　subsist　and　that　in　it
alone　can　particular　interests　be　secured。　But　habit　blinds　us　to　that　on　which　our　whole　existence
depends。　When　we　walk　the　streets　at　night　in　safety；　it　does　not　strike　us　that　this　might　be
otherwise。　This　habit　of　feeling　safe　has　become　second　nature；　and　we　do　not　reflect　on　just　how
this　is　due　solely　to　the　working　of　special　institutions。　Commonplace　thinking　often　has　the
impression　that　force　holds　the　state　together；　but　in　fact　its　only　bond　is　the　fundamental　sense　of
order　which　everybody　possesses。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　269。

The　patriotic　sentiment　acquires　its　specifically　determined　content　from　the
various　members　of　the　organism　of　the　state。　This　organism　is　the　development
of　the　Idea　to　its　differences　and　their　objective　actuality。　Hence　these　different
members　are　the　various　powers　of　the　state　with　their　functions　and　spheres　of
action；　by　means　of　which　the　universal　continually　engenders　itself；　and
engenders　itself　in　a　necessary　way　because　their　specific　character　is　fixed　by　the
nature　of　the　concept。　Throughout　this　process　the　universal　maintains　its　identity；
since　it　is　itself　the　presupposition　of　its　own　production。　This　organism　is　the
constitution　of　the　state。　

Addition：　The　state　is　an　organism；　i。e。　the　development　of　the　Idea　to　the　articulation　of　its
differences。　Thus　these　different　sides　of　the　state　are　its　various　powers　with　their　functions　and
spheres　of　action；　by　means　of　which　the　universal　continually　engenders　itself　in　a　necessary　way；
in　this　process　it　maintains　its　identity　since　it　is　presupposed　even　in　its　own　production。　This
organism　is　the　constitution　of　the　state；　it　is　produced　perpetually　by　the　state；　while　it　is　through　it
that　the　state　maintains　itself。　If　the　state　and　its　constitution　fall　apart；　if　the　various　members　of　the
organism　free　themselves；　then　the　unity　produced　by　the　constitution　is　no　longer　an　accomplished
fact。　This　tallies　with　the　fable　about　the　belly　and　the　other　members。　The　nature　of　an　organism　is
such　that　unless　each　of　its　parts　is　brought　into　identity　with　the　others；　unless　each　of　them　is
prevented　from　achieving　autonomy；　the　whole　must　perish。　By　listing　attributes；　axioms；　&c。；　no
progress　can　be　made　in　assessing　the　nature　of　the　state；　it　must　be　apprehended　as　an　organism。
One　might　as　well　try　to　understand　the　nature　of　God　by　listing　his　attributes；　while　the　truth　is　that
we　must　intuit　God's　life　in　that　life　itself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　270。　

　　　　　（1）　The　abstract　actuality　or　the　substantiality　of　the　state　consists　in　the　fact
　　　　　that　its　end　is　the　universal　interest　as　such　and　the　conservation　therein　of
　　　　　particular　interests　since　the　universal　interest　is　the　substance　of　these。　

　　　　　（2）　But　this　substantiality　of　the　state　is　also　its　necessity；　since　its
　　　　　substantiality　is　divided　into　the　distinct　spheres　of　its　activity　which
　　　　　correspond　to　the　moments　of　its　concept；　and　these　spheres；　owing　to　this
　　　　　substantiality；　are　thus　actually　fixed　determinate　characteristics　of　the　state；
　　　　　i。e。　its　Powers。　

　　　　　（3）　But　this　very　substantiality　of　the　state　is　mind　knowing　and　willing　itself
　　　　　after　passing　through　the　forming　process　of　education。　The　state；　therefore；
　　　　　knows　what　it　wills　and　knows　it　in　its　universality；　i。e。　as　something
　　　　　thought。　

Hence　it　works　and　acts　by　reference　to　consciously　adopted　ends；　known
principles；　and　laws　which　are　not　merely　implicit　but　are　actually　present　to
consciousness；　and　further；　it　acts　with　precise　knowledge　of　existing　conditions
and　circumstances；　inasmuch　as　its　actions　have　a　bearing　on　these。　

Remark：　This　is　the　place　to　allude　to　the　relation　of　the　state　to　religion；　because　it　is　often
reiterated　nowadays〃　that　religion　is　the　basis　of　the　state；　and　because　those　who　make　this
assertion　even　have　the　impertinence　to　suggest　that；　once　it　is　made；　political　science　has　said　its
last　word。　No　doctrine　is　more　fitted　to　produce　so　much　confusion；　more　fitted　…　indeed　to　exalt
confusion　itself　to　be　the　constitution　of　the　state　and　the　proper　form　of　knowledge。　

In　the　first　place；　it　may　seem　suspicious　that　religion　is　principally　sought　and　recommended　for
times　of　public　calamity；　disorder；　and　oppression；　and　that　people　are　referred　to　it　as　a　solace　in
face　of　wrong　or　as　a　hope　in　compensation　for　loss。　Then　further；　while　the　state　is　mind　on　earth
（der　Geist　der　in　der　Welt　steht）；　religion　may　sometimes　be　looked　upon　as　commanding
downright　indifference　to　earthly　interests；　the　march　of　events；　and　current　affairs；　and　so　to　turn
men's　attention　to　religion　does　not　seem　to　be　the　way　to　exalt　the　interest　and　business　of　the
state　into　the　fundamental　and　serious　aim　of　life。　On　the　contrary；　this　suggestion　seems　to　assert
that　politics　is　wholly　a　matter　of　caprice　and　indifference；　either　because　this　way　of　talking　merely
amounts　to　saying　that　it　is　only　the　aims　of　passion　and　lawless　force；　&c。；　which　bear　sway　in　the
state；　or　because　this　recommendation　of　religion　is　supposed　to　be　of　self…sufficient　validity；　and
religion　is　to　claim　to　decide　the　law　and　administer　it。　While　it　might　seem　a　bitter　jest　to　stifle　all
animus　against　tyranny　by　asserting　that　the　oppressed　find　their　consolation　in　religion；　it　still　must
not　be　forgotten　that　religion　may　take　a　form　leading　to　the　harshest　bondage　in　the　fetters　of
superstition　and　man's　degraded　subservience　to　animals。　（The　Egyptians　and　the　Hindus；　for
instance；　revere　animals　as　beings　higher　than　themselves。）　This　phenomenon　may　at　least　make　it
evident　that　we　ought　not　to　speak　of　religion　at　all　in　general　terms　and　that　we　really　need　a
power　to　protect　us　from　it　in　some　of　its　forms　and　to　espouse　against　them　the　rights　of　reason
and　self…consciousness。　

The　essence　of　the　relation　between　religion　and　the　state　can　be　determined；　however；　only　if　we
recall　the　concept　of　religion。　The　content　of　religion　is　absolute　truth；　and　consequently　the
religious　is　the　most　sublime　of　all　dispositions。　As　intuition；　feeling；　representative　knowledge；　its
task　is　concentrated　upon　God　as　the　unrestricted　principle　and　cause　on　which　everything　hangs。
It　thus　involves　the　demand　that　everything　else　shall　be　seen　in　this　light　and　depend　on　it　for
corroboration；　justification；　and　verification。　It　is　in　being　thus　related　to　religion　that　state；　laws；
and　duties　all　alike　acquire　for　consciousness　their　supreme　confirmation　and　their　supreme
obligatoriness；　because　even　the　state；　laws；　and　duties　are　in　their　actuality　something　determinate
which　passes　over　into　a　higher　sphere　and　so　into　that　on　which　it　is　grounded。　It　is　for　this　reason
that　in　religion　there　lies　the　place　where　man　is　always　assured　of　finding　a　consciousness　of　the
unchangeable；　of　the　highest　freedom　and　satisfaction；　even　within　all　the　mutability　of　the　world
and　despite　the　frustration　of　his　aims　and　the　loss　of　his　interests　and　possessions。　

Footnote：　Religion；　knowledge　and　science　have　as　their　principle　a　form　peculiar　to　each　and　different
from　that　of　the　state。　They　therefore　enter　the　state　partly　as　mean　…　means　to　education　and　（a　higher）
mentality　…　partly　in　so　far　as　they　are　in　essence　ends　in　themselves；　for　the　reason　that　they　are　embodied　in
existent　institutions。　In　both　these　respects　the　principles　of　tile　state　have；　in　their　application；　a　bearing　on
them。　A　comprehensive；　concrete　treatise　on　the　state　would　also　have　to　deal　with　those　spheres　of　life　is　well
as　with　art　and　such　things　as　mere　geographical　matters；　and　to　consider　their　place　in　the　state　and　their
bearing　on　it。　In　this　book；　however；　it　is　the　principle　of　the　state　in　its　own　special　sphere　which　is　being　fully
expounded　in　accordance　with　the　Ideal；　and　it　is　only　in　passing　that　reference　can　be　made　to　the　principles
of　religion；　&c。；　and　to　the　application　of　the　right　of　the　state　to　them。　

Remark：　Now　if　religion　is　in　this　way　the　groundwork　which　includes　the　ethical　realm　in
general；　and　the　state's　fundamental　nature　…　the　divine　will　…　in　particular；　it　is　at　the　same　time　only
a　groundwork；　and　it　is　at　this　point　that　state　and　religion　begin　to　diverge。　The　state　is　the　divine
will；　in　the　sense　that　it　is　mind　present　on　earth；　unfolding　itself　to　be　the　actual　shape　and
organisation　of　a　world。　Those　who　insist　on　stopping　at　the　form　of　religion；　as　opposed　to　the
state；　are　acting　like　those　logicians　who　think　they　are　right　if　they　continually　stop　at　the　essence
and　refuse　to　advance　beyond　that　abstraction　to　existence；　or　like　those　moralists　（see　Remark　to
§　140）　who　will　only　good　in　the　abstract　and　leave　it　to　caprice　to　decide　what　is　good。　Religion
is　a　relation　to　the　Absolute；　a　relation　which　takes　the　form　of　feeling；　representative　thinking；
faith；　and；　brought　within　its　all…embracing　circumference；　everything　becomes　only　accidental　and
transient。　Now　if；　in　relation　to　the　state；　we　cling　to　this　form　of　experience　and　make　it　the
authority　for　the　state　and　its　essential　determinant；　the　state　must　become　a　prey　to　weakness；
insecurity；　and　disorder；　because　it　is　an　organism　in　which　firmly　fixed　distinct　powers；　laws；　and
institutions　have　been　developed。　In　contrast　with　the　form　of　religion；　a　form　which　draws　a　veil
over　everything　determinate；　and　so　comes　to　be　purely　subjective；　the　objective　and　universal
element　in　the　state；　i。e。　the　laws；　acquires　a　negative　instead　of　a　stable　and　authoritative
character；　and　the　result　is　the　production　of　maxims　of　conduct　like　the　following：　'To　the
righteous　man　no　law　is　given；　only　be　pious；　and　for　the　rest；　practise　what　thou　wilt；　yield　to　thine
own　caprice　and　passion；　and　if　thereby　others　suffer　wrong；　commend　them　to　the　consolations
and　hopes　of　religion；　or　better　still；　call　them　irreligious　and　condemn　them　to　perdition。'　This
negative　attitude；　however；　may　not　confine　itself　to　an　inner　disposition　and　attitude　of　mind；　it
may　turn　instead　to　the　outside　world　and　assert　its　authority　there；　and　then　there　is　an　outbre