Section 253
Original German
253 In der Corporation hat die Familie nicht nur ihren festen Boden als die durch Befähigung bedingte Sicherung der Subsistenz, ein festes Vermögen (§. 170.), sondern beydes ist auch anerkannt, so daß das Mitglied einer Corporation seine Tüchtigkeit und sein ordentliches Aus- und Fortkommen, daß es Etwas ist, durch keine weitere äußere Bezeigungen darzulegen nöthig hat. So ist auch anerkannt, daß es einem Ganzen, das selbst ein Glied der allgemeinen Gesellschaft ist, angehört und für den uneigennützigern Zweck dieses Ganzen Interesse und Bemühung hat: — es hat so in seinem Stande seine Ehre.
Die Institution der Corporation entspricht durch ihre Sicherung des Vermögens insofern der Einführung des Ackerbaues und des Privateigenthums in einer andern Sphäre (§. 203. Anm.) — Wenn über Luxus und Verschwendungssucht der Gewerbtreibenden Klassen, womit die Erzeugung des Pöbels (§. 244.) zusammenhängt, Klagen zu erheben sind, so ist bei den andern Ursachen (z. B. das immer mehr mechanisch werdende der Arbeit) — der sittliche Grund, wie er im Obigen liegt, nicht zu übersehen. Ohne Mitglied einer berechtigten Corporation zu seyn, (und nur als berechtigt ist ein Gemeinsames eine Corporation) ist der Einzelne ohne Standesehre, durch seine Isolirung auf die selbstsüchtige Seite des Gewerbs reducirt, seine Subsistenz und Genuß nichts Stehendes. Er wird somit seine Anerkennung durch die äußerlichen Darlegungen seines Erfolgs in seinem Gewerbe zu erreichen suchen, — Darlegungen, welche unbegränzt sind, weil seinem Stande gemäß zu leben nicht stattfindet, da der Stand nicht existirt — denn nur das Gemeinsame existirt in der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft, was gesetzlich constituirt und anerkannt ist — sich also auch keine ihm angemessene allgemeinere Lebensweise macht. — In der Corporation verliert die Hülfe, welche die Armuth empfängt, ihr Zufälliges, so wie ihr mit Unrecht Demüthigendes, und der Reichthum in seiner Pflicht gegen seine Genossenschaft, den Hochmuth und den Neid, den er, und zwar jenen in seinem Besitzer, diesen in den Andern erregen kann, — die Rechtschaffenheit erhält ihre wahrhafte Anerkennung und Ehre.
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.
253 In the corporation the family has not only its firm ground, as the security of subsistence conditioned by capacity, a firm property (§ 170), but both are also recognized, so that a member of a corporation has no need to demonstrate by any further external manifestations his competence and his regular livelihood and prospects, that he is something. Thus it is likewise recognized that he belongs to a whole which is itself a member of universal society, and that he has interest and takes pains for the more disinterested end of this whole: — he thus has his honor in his estate.
The institution of the corporation, by securing property, corresponds to the introduction of agriculture and of private property in another sphere (§ 203, Remark). — If complaints are to be raised about the luxury and the craving for extravagance of the trading classes, with which the creation of the rabble (§ 244) is connected, then among the other causes (for example, the ever more mechanical character of labor) the ethical ground, as it lies in what was said above, is not to be overlooked. Without being a member of a legitimate corporation (and only as legitimate is a common body a corporation), the individual is without honor of estate; by his isolation he is reduced to the self-seeking side of his trade, and his subsistence and enjoyment are nothing standing. He will therefore seek to attain his recognition through the external display of his success in his trade — a display which is unbounded, because living in a manner befitting his estate does not take place, since the estate does not exist — for in civil society only what is lawfully constituted and recognized as common exists — and so he makes for himself no more general way of life suited to him either. — In the corporation, the help which poverty receives loses its contingent character, as well as the humiliation it wrongly carries; and wealth, in its duty toward its association, loses the arrogance and the envy which it can arouse, the former in its possessor, the latter in others; — rectitude receives its true recognition and honor.
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.
253 In the corporation the family has not only its firm ground, as the security of its livelihood, which is conditioned by ability, and a firm property (§ 170). Both are also recognized. So a member of a corporation does not need to prove his competence, or his proper income and prospects, or that he is something, by any further outward displays. It is also recognized that he belongs to a whole, which is itself a member of society in general, and that he has an interest in, and takes trouble for, the less self-serving purpose of this whole. — In this way he has his honor in his class.
By securing property, the institution of the corporation corresponds, in another sphere, to the introduction of agriculture and private property (§ 203, Remark). — If complaints are to be made about the luxury and extravagance of the trading classes, which are connected with the creation of the rabble (§ 244), then among the other causes (for example, the way work keeps becoming more mechanical), the ethical reason, as it lies in what was said above, should not be overlooked. Without being a member of a legitimate corporation (and an association is a corporation only when it is legitimate), the individual has no class honor. His isolation reduces him to the self-seeking side of his trade, and his livelihood and enjoyment are nothing lasting. So he will try to gain recognition through outward displays of his success in his trade. These displays have no limit. For living in keeping with his class is not possible, since the class does not exist. In civil society only what is constituted and recognized by law exists as shared. So no more general way of life suited to him develops either. — In the corporation, the help that poverty receives loses its chance character and its unjust humiliation. And wealth, in its duty to its association, loses the arrogance and the envy it can arouse: arrogance in its owner, envy in others. — Honesty receives its true recognition and honor.
About this section
Section 253 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 255 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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