Section 310
Original German
310 Die Garantie der diesem Zweck entsprechenden Eigenschaften und der Gesinnung, — da das unabhängige Vermögen schon in dem ersten Theile der Stände sein Recht verlangt, — zeigt sich bey dem zweiten Theile, der aus dem beweglichen und veränderlichen Elemente der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft hervorgeht, vornemlich in der, durch wirkliche Geschäftsführung, in obrigkeitlichen oder Staatsämtern erworbenen und durch die That bewährten Gesinnung, Geschicklichkeit und Kenntniß der Einrichtungen und Interessen des Staats und der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft, und dem dadurch gebildeten und erprobten obrigkeitlichen Sinn und Sinn des Staats.
Die subjective Meynung von sich findet leicht die Foderung solcher Garantien, wenn sie in Rücksicht auf das sogenannte Volk gemacht wird, überflüßig, ja selbst etwa beleidigend. Der Staat hat aber das Objective, nicht eine subjective Meynung und deren Selbstzutrauen zu seiner Bestimmung; die Individuen können nur das für ihn seyn, was an ihnen objectiv erkennbar und erprobt ist, und er hat hierauf bey diesem Theile des ständischen Elements um so mehr zu sehen, als derselbe seine Wurzel in den auf das Besondere gerichteten Interessen und Beschäftigungen hat, wo die Zufälligkeit, Veränderlichkeit und Willkühr ihr Recht sich zu ergehen hat. — Die äußere Bedingung, ein gewisses Vermögen, erscheint bloß für sich genommen, als das einseitige Extrem der Aeußerlichkeit gegen das andere eben so einseitige, das bloß subjective Zutrauen und die Meynung der Wählenden. Eins wie das andere macht in seiner Abstraction einen Contrast gegen die concreten Eigenschaften, die zur Berathung von Staatsgeschäften erforderlich, und die in den im §. 302. angedeuteten Bestimmungen enthalten sind. — Ohnehin hat bey der Wahl zu obrigkeitlichen und anderen Aemtern der Genossenschaften und Gemeinden die Eigenschaft des Vermögens schon die Sphäre, wo sie ihre Wirkung hat ausüben können, besonders wenn manche dieser Geschäfte unentgeldlich verwaltet werden, und direct in Rücksicht auf das ständische Geschäft, wenn die Mitglieder keinen Gehalt beziehen. —
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.
310 The guarantee of the qualities and the disposition corresponding to this purpose—since independent property already demands its right in the first part of the estates—shows itself in the second part, which issues from the mobile and changeable element of civil society, chiefly in the disposition, skill and knowledge of the institutions and interests of the state and of civil society, acquired through actual conduct of business in magisterial or state offices and proved by deed, and in the magisterial sense and sense of the state thereby formed and tested.
Subjective opinion of oneself readily finds the demand for such guarantees superfluous, even offensive, when it is made with regard to the so-called people. But the state has as its vocation the objective, not a subjective opinion and its self-confidence; individuals can be for it only what is objectively recognizable and tested in them, and it has all the more to look to this in this part of the estates element, as that part has its root in interests and occupations directed to the particular, where contingency, changeability and arbitrary choice have their right to range freely. — The external condition, a certain property, taken merely by itself, appears as the one-sided extreme of externality over against the other, equally one-sided extreme, the merely subjective trust and opinion of the electors. The one as much as the other, in its abstraction, forms a contrast with the concrete qualities required for deliberating on affairs of state, which are contained in the determinations indicated in § 302. — Besides, in the election to magisterial and other offices of the associations and communities, the quality of property has already had the sphere in which it could exercise its effect, especially when many of these functions are administered without pay, and directly with regard to the business of the estates, when the members receive no salary. —
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.
310 The guarantee that the deputies have the qualities and the attitude suited to this purpose is, since independent wealth already claims its right in the first part of the estates, shown in the second part. This part comes from the mobile and changing element of civil society. The guarantee lies mainly in the attitude, skill and knowledge of the institutions and interests of the state and of civil society, gained through real conduct of business in magisterial or state offices and proved by deed. It also lies in the magisterial sense and sense of the state that has thereby been formed and tested.
Subjective opinion of itself easily finds the demand for such guarantees unnecessary, even insulting, when it is made with regard to the so-called people. But the state has as its purpose what is objective, not a subjective opinion and its self-confidence. Individuals can be for the state only what is objectively recognizable and proved in them. The state has to look to this all the more in this part of the estates element, because this part has its root in interests and occupations directed to the particular, where accident, changeability and arbitrary choice have their right to roam. — The outward condition, a certain amount of wealth, taken by itself appears as the one-sided extreme of outwardness. Against it stands the other, equally one-sided extreme, the merely subjective trust and opinion of the voters. Each of the two, in its abstraction, forms a contrast to the concrete qualities that are required for deliberating on affairs of state, and that are contained in the determinations indicated in § 302. — In any case, in elections to magisterial and other offices of the associations and communities, the quality of wealth already has the sphere where it can have its effect. This is so especially when many of these tasks are carried out without pay, and, with regard to the work of the estates directly, when the members receive no salary. —
About this section
Section 310 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 312 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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