Section 198
Original German
198 Das Allgemeine und Objective in der Arbeit liegt aber in der Abstraction, welche die Specificirung der Mittel und Bedürfnisse bewirkt, damit eben so die Production specificirt und die Theilung der Arbeiten hervorbringt. Das Arbeiten des Einzelnen wird durch die Theilung einfacher und hierdurch die Geschicklichkeit in seiner abstracten Arbeit, so wie die Menge seiner Productionen größer. Zugleich vervollständigt diese Abstraction der Geschicklichkeit und des Mittels die Abhängigkeit und die Wechselbeziehung der Menschen für die Befriedigung der übrigen Bedürfnisse zur gänzlichen Nothwendigkeit. Die Abstraction des Producirens macht das Arbeiten ferner immermehr mechanisch und damit am Ende fähig, daß der Mensch davon wegtreten und an seine Stelle die Maschine eintreten lassen kann.
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.
198 But the universal and the objective in labor lie in the abstraction that brings about the specification of means and needs, and thereby equally specifies production and gives rise to the division of labor. Through the division, the labor of the individual becomes simpler, and thereby his skill in his abstract labor, as likewise the quantity of his productions, becomes greater. At the same time, this abstraction of skill and of the means completes the dependence and the interrelation of human beings for the satisfaction of their remaining needs into complete necessity. The abstraction of producing further makes labor more and more mechanical, and thereby in the end capable of this: that man can step away from it and let the machine take his place.
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.
198 The universal and objective element in work lies in abstraction. This brings about the specialization of means and needs. It likewise specializes production and creates the division of labor. Division makes the individual's work simpler. It therefore increases both skill in this abstract work and the quantity produced. At the same time, this abstraction of skill and means makes people's dependence and interaction in satisfying their other needs into a complete necessity. The abstraction of production also makes work increasingly mechanical. In the end, a person can step away from it and let a machine take his place.
About this section
Section 198 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 200 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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