Section 274
Original German
274 Da der Geist nur als das wirklich ist, als was er sich weiß, und der Staat, als Geist eines Volkes, zugleich das alle seine Verhältnisse durchdringende Gesetz, die Sitte und das Bewußtseyn seiner Individuen ist, so hängt die Verfassung eines bestimmten Volkes überhaupt von der Weise und Bildung des Selbstbewußtseyns desselben ab; in diesem liegt seine subjective Freyheit, und damit die Wirklichkeit der Verfassung.
Einem Volke eine, wenn auch ihrem Inhalte nach mehr oder weniger vernünftige Verfassung a priori geben zu wollen, — dieser Einfall übersähe gerade das Moment, durch welches sie mehr als ein Gedankending wäre. Jedes Volk hat deswegen die Verfassung, die ihm angemessen ist, und für dasselbe gehört.
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.
274 Since spirit is actual only as what it knows itself to be, and the state, as the spirit of a people, is at the same time the law pervading all its relations, the custom and consciousness of its individuals, the constitution of a particular people depends in general upon the character and development of its self-consciousness. In this lies its subjective freedom, and thus the actuality of the constitution.
To wish to give a people a constitution a priori, even one more or less rational in its content, is a notion that overlooks precisely the moment through which it would be more than a thing of thought. Every people therefore has the constitution appropriate to it and belonging to 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.
274 Spirit is actual only as what it knows itself to be. And the state, as the spirit of a people, is also the law permeating all its relationships, the customs and the consciousness of its individuals. A particular people's constitution therefore depends, in general, on the character and development of its self-consciousness. In this lies its subjective freedom, and with it the actual reality of the constitution.
To want to give a people a constitution a priori, even one whose content is more or less rational, would overlook precisely the moment through which a constitution would be more than a thing of thought. Every people therefore has the constitution appropriate to it and belonging to it.
About this section
Section 274 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 276 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.