Section 304
Original German
304 Den in den früheren Sphären bereits vorhandenen Unterschied der Stände, enthält das politisch-ständische Element zugleich in seiner eigenen Bestimmung. Seine zunächst abstracte Stellung, nämlich des Extrems der empirischen Allgemeinheit gegen das fürstliche oder monarchische Prinzip überhaupt, — in der nur die Möglichkeit der Uebereinstimmung, und damit eben so die Möglichkeit feindlicher Entgegensetzung liegt, — diese abstracte Stellung wird nur dadurch zum vernünftigen Verhältnisse, (zum Schlusse, vergl. Anm. zu §. 302.) daß ihre Vermittelung zur Existenz kommt. Wie von Seiten der fürstlichen Gewalt die Regierungsgewalt (§. 300.) schon diese Bestimmung hat, so muß auch von der Seite der Stände aus ein Moment derselben nach der Bestimmung gekehrt seyn, wesentlich als das Moment der Mitte zu existiren.
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.
304 The political element of the estates also contains, in its own determination, the distinction of estates already present in the earlier spheres. Its initially abstract position, namely that of the extreme of empirical universality against the princely or monarchical principle in general—a position containing only the possibility of agreement, and thereby equally the possibility of hostile opposition—becomes a rational relation, a syllogism, compare the remark to § 302, only through its mediation coming into existence. Just as the executive power on the side of the princely power already has this determination (§ 300), so on the side of the estates a moment of them must also be directed toward the determination of existing essentially as the moment of the middle term.
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.
304 The difference between the classes, already present in the earlier spheres, is also contained in the political estates element in its own determination. Its position is at first abstract: it is the extreme of empirical universality standing against the principle of the prince or monarch in general. In this position there lies only the possibility of agreement, and so equally the possibility of hostile opposition. This abstract position becomes a rational relationship (a syllogism, compare the note to § 302) only when its mediation comes into existence. On the side of the prince's power, the governing power (§ 300) already has this task. In the same way, on the side of the estates one element of them must be turned toward the task of existing essentially as the element of the middle.
About this section
Section 304 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 306 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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