Section 194
Original German
194 Indem im gesellschaftlichen Bedürfnisse, als der Verknüpfung vom unmittelbaren oder natürlichen und vom geistigen Bedürfnisse der Vorstellung, das letztere sich als das Allgemeine zum überwiegenden macht, so liegt in diesem gesellschaftlichen Momente die Seite der Befreyung, daß die strenge Naturnothwendigkeit des Bedürfnisses versteckt wird, und der Mensch sich zu seiner, und zwar einer allgemeinen Meynung und einer nur selbstgemachten Nothwendigkeit, statt nur zu äußerlicher, zu innerer Zufälligkeit, zur Willkühr, verhält.
Die Vorstellung als ob der Mensch in einem sogenannten Naturzustande, worin er nur sogenannte einfache Naturbedürfnisse hätte, und für ihre Befriedigung nur Mittel gebrauchte, wie eine zufällige Natur sie ihm unmittelbar gewährte, in Rücksicht auf die Bedürfnisse in Freyheit lebte, ist, noch ohne Rücksicht des Moments der Befreyung, die in der Arbeit liegt, wovon nachher, — eine unwahre Meynung, weil das Naturbedürfniß als solches und dessen unmittelbare Befriedigung nur der Zustand der in die Natur versenkten Geistigkeit und damit der Rohheit und Unfreyheit wäre, und die Freyheit allein in der Reflexion des Geistigen in sich, seiner Unterscheidung von dem Natürlichen und seinem Reflexe auf dieses, liegt.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from Hegel's German in the Berlin Nicolai first edition, dated 1821. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360, including the author's remarks and notes; no later Gans additions.
194 Since in social need, as the conjunction of immediate or natural need with the spiritual need of representation, the latter makes itself predominant as the universal, this social moment contains the side of liberation: the strict natural necessity of need is concealed, and man relates to his own—and indeed universal—opinion and to a necessity merely of his own making, so that, instead of only external contingency, he relates to inner contingency, to arbitrary choice.
The notion that man, in a so-called state of nature in which he had only so-called simple natural needs and used for their satisfaction only such means as a contingent nature immediately granted him, lived in freedom with respect to needs—this notion, even apart from consideration of the moment of liberation that lies in labor, of which more later, is an untrue opinion, because natural need as such and its immediate satisfaction would be only the condition of spirituality sunk in nature, and thereby of crudeness and unfreedom, and freedom lies solely in the reflection of the spiritual into itself, in its distinction from the natural and its reflection upon it.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation made directly from the German first-edition source, not from the Musean edition or an existing English translation. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360 with the author's remarks and notes.
194 Social need combines immediate or natural need with the spiritual need of representation, and the latter becomes the universal, predominant element. This social element therefore contains an aspect of liberation. The strict natural necessity of need is hidden. A person relates to his own opinion, which is universal opinion, and to a necessity imposed only by himself. Instead of relating only to external contingency, he relates to inner contingency, to arbitrary choice.
People imagine that in a so-called state of nature a human being would live in freedom as far as needs were concerned. They suppose he would have only so-called simple natural needs and would satisfy them only with whatever means a contingent nature directly supplied. Even apart from the element of liberation involved in work, which will be discussed later, this is an untrue opinion. Natural need as such, and its immediate satisfaction, would be merely a condition in which spirit was immersed in nature, and therefore a condition of crudeness and unfreedom. Freedom lies only in spirit's reflection into itself, its distinction from what is natural, and its reflection upon it.
About this section
Section 194 is part of Elements of the Philosophy of Right by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 196 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
Open the work page for the full contents, every edition, and the download links, or go back to Explore to browse other complete works in the European tradition. The reader keeps your place when you are signed in and lets you compare the original with each translation, one edition at a time.