Section 200
Original German
200 Die Möglichkeit der Theilnahme an dem allgemeinen Vermögen, das besondre Vermögen, ist aber bedingt, theils durch eine unmittelbare eigene Grundlage, (Kapital) theils durch die Geschicklichkeit, welche ihrerseits wieder selbst durch jenes, dann aber durch die zufälligen Umstände bedingt ist, deren Mannigfaltigkeit die Verschiedenheit in der Entwickelung der schon für sich ungleichen natürlichen körperlichen, und geistigen Anlagen hervorbringt, — eine Verschiedenheit, die in dieser Sphäre der Besonderheit nach allen Richtungen und von allen Stufen sich hervorthut und mit der übrigen Zufälligkeit und Willkühr die Ungleichheit des Vermögens und der Geschicklichkeiten der Individuen zur nothwendigen Folge hat.
Dem in der Idee enthaltenen objectiven Rechte der Besonderheit des Geistes, welches die von der Natur — dem Elemente der Ungleichheit — gesetzte Ungleichheit der Menschen, in der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft nicht nur nicht aufhebt, sondern aus dem Geiste producirt, sie zu einer Ungleichheit der Geschicklichkeit, des Vermögens und selbst der intellectuellen und moralischen Bildung erhebt, — die Forderung der Gleichheit entgegensetzen, gehört dem leeren Verstande an, der dieß sein Abstractum und sein Sollen für das Reelle und Vernünftige nimmt. Diese Sphäre der Besonderheit, die sich das Allgemeine einbildet, behält in dieser nur relativen Identität mit demselben eben so sehr die natürliche als willkührliche Besonderheit, damit den Rest des Naturzustandes, in sich. Ferner ist es die im Systeme menschlicher Bedürfnisse und ihrer Bewegung immanente Vernunft, welche dasselbe zu einem organischen Ganzen von Unterschieden gliedert; s. folg. §.
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.
200 The possibility of partaking in the universal wealth, the particular wealth, is however conditioned, partly by an immediate foundation of one's own (capital), partly by skill, which in turn is itself conditioned by that foundation, and then by contingent circumstances whose multiplicity brings forth the diversity in the development of the natural endowments, bodily and spiritual, that are already in themselves unequal—a diversity that asserts itself in this sphere of particularity in all directions and from every level, and which, together with the remaining contingency and arbitrary choice, has as its necessary consequence the inequality of the wealth and the skills of individuals.
To set the demand of equality against the objective right of the particularity of spirit contained in the Idea—a right that in civil society does not merely fail to abolish the inequality of human beings posited by nature, the element of inequality, but produces that inequality out of spirit and raises it to an inequality of skill, of wealth, and even of intellectual and moral cultivation—belongs to the empty understanding, which takes this abstraction of its own, and its ought, for the real and the rational. This sphere of particularity, which forms the universal into itself, retains within itself, in this merely relative identity with the universal, natural as much as arbitrary particularity, and with them the remnant of the state of nature. Further, it is the reason immanent in the system of human needs and in their movement that articulates that system into an organic whole of differences; see the following section.
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.
200 But the possibility of sharing in the universal resources—one's particular resources—is conditioned. It depends partly on an immediate foundation of one's own, capital, and partly on skill. Skill itself depends in turn partly on capital, and then on contingent circumstances. The variety of these circumstances produces differences in the development of physical and mental natural abilities, which are already unequal in themselves. This difference appears in every direction and at every level in this sphere of particularity. Together with other contingency and arbitrary choice, its necessary consequence is inequality in individuals' resources and skills.
The Idea contains the objective right of spirit's particularity. In civil society this right does not remove the inequality that nature—the element of inequality—has established among human beings. It produces inequality out of spirit and raises it into an inequality of skill, resources, and even intellectual and moral education. Opposing this right with a demand for equality belongs to the empty understanding, which mistakes its abstraction and its ought-to-be for what is real and rational. This sphere of particularity shapes the universal into itself. But in this merely relative identity with the universal, it keeps natural particularity just as much as arbitrary particularity within itself, and therefore keeps a remnant of the state of nature. Moreover, the reason inherent in the system of human needs and their movement organizes that system into an organic whole of differences; see the following section.
About this section
Section 200 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 202 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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