Reason in History: A General Introduction to the Philosophy of History

144 Pages·1953·17.764 MB·English

by  Georg W. F. Hegel, Robert S. Hartman (transl.)

Reason in History
HEGEL
Translated by Robert S. Hartman
U
The Library of Liberal Arts
9H
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2013
in
http://archive.org/details/reasoninhistorygOOhege
REASON HISTORY
IN
The Library of Liberal Arts
OSKAR PIEST, FOUNDER

REASON
IN HISTORY
A
General Introduction to
the Philosophy of History
W. Hegel
G. F.
Translated, with an introduction, by
Robert Hartman
S.
Professor of Philosophy, University of Mexico
The Library of Liberal Arts
published by
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY, INC.
INDIANAPOLIS NEW YORK
•
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: 1770-1831
LECTURES ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY was
originallypublishedin 1837
COPYRIGHT
f9, 1953
THE LIBERAL ARTS PRESS, INC.
A DIVISION OF THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY, INC,
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 53:4476
Eighth Printing
PREFACE
The translation of a philosophical classic into a modern
language is a difficult task, no matter how clear the original. If
the original itself is not very clear, the difficulties increase. But
if, as in our case, the original was never written, but narrated
—by a notoriously bad lecturer—and taken down by his, mostly
lay, students, the task of translation becomes truly hazardous—
as is evidenced by previous English renderings of this text.
The German original is not only often ambiguous and ob-
scure, but the style is extremely uneven. It continually oscil-
lates between the stilted and the colloquial, no doubt because
of the manner of its composition. Hegel often reaches either
too high or too low, and there is little effort to focus the word
exactly on the thought. The importance of Sibree's pioneer
translation, which I have consulted and followed in some
places, is not to be minimized. Sibree, however, consistently
takes the high road; he is complex even where Hegel is simple.
I have chosen the opposite approach. In steering between the
conservatism of literal translation and the radicalism of trans-
literation, I have taken a middle course, slightly right of cen-
ter. Sibree's translation has been called baroque; the present
translation, by comparison, might be called Georgian. Al-
though it is more complete and, it is hoped, more correct than
previous ones, it is by no means a definitive translation. This,
I am persuaded, would have to be a paraphrase of the original.
That, in spite of its risks, the translation was undertaken is
due primarily to the editor of The Library of Liberal Arts,
Mr. Oskar Piest, whose cooperation, constructive criticism, and
relentless drive for perfection were a continuous source of en-
couragement. My special thanks are due to Professor Paul
Schrecker of the University of Pennsylvania, who critically
examined the entire manuscript, clarified many of the obscu-
V
VI REASON IN HISTORY
rities of the text, and made numerous suggestions which
improved both the accuracy and style ot the translation.
The merits of this translation are in large part due to the
help I have received. Its shortcomings are entirely my own.
ROBERT HARTiMAN
S.
CONTENTS
Introduction
ir
Note on the Text
xli
REASON IN HISTORY
I. The Three Methods of Writing History a
II. Reason as the Basis of History 11
HI. The Idea of History and Its Realization 20
1. The Idea of Freedom 22
2. The Means of Realization 25
(a) The Idea and the Individual 25
(b) The Individual as Subjectof History 34
(c) The Individual as Object ofHistory 43
3. The State 49
(a) The State as Realization of the Idea 49
(b) Law as Realization of Freedom 53
(c) The Legal Foundation of the State
(The Constitution) 56
(d) The Religious Foundation of the State 62
IV. The Course of World History 68
1. The Principle of Development 68
2. The Origin of History "^l
(a) The Pre-History of Reason 71
(b) The State as Condition of History 75
(c) The Historical Role of Language 77
3. The CourseofDevelopment 78
(a) The Principle of a People 78
(b) The Dialectic of National Principles 87