Section 326
Original German
326 Zwiste der Staaten mit einander können irgend eine besondere Seite ihres Verhältnisses zum Gegenstand haben; für diese Zwiste hat auch der besondere, der Vertheidigung des Staats gewidmete, Theil seine Hauptbestimmung. Insofern aber der Staat als solcher, seine Selbstständigkeit, in Gefahr kommt, so ruft die Pflicht alle seine Bürger zu seiner Vertheidigung auf. Wenn so das Ganze zur Macht geworden, und aus seinem innern Leben in sich nach Aussen gerissen ist, so gehet damit der Vertheidigungskrieg in Eroberungskrieg über.
Daß die bewaffnete Macht des Staats, ein stehendes Heer, und die Bestimmung für das besondere Geschäft seiner Vertheidigung zu einem Stande wird, ist dieselbe Nothwendigkeit, durch welche die anderen besondern Momente, Interessen und Geschäfte zu einer Ehe, zu Gewerbs-, Staats-, Geschäfts- u. s. f. Ständen werden. Das Raisonnement, das an Gründen herüber und hinüber gehet, ergehet sich in Betrachtungen über die größern Vortheile oder über die größern Nachtheile der Einführung stehender Heere, und die Meynung entscheidet sich gern für das Letztere, weil der Begriff der Sache schwerer zu fassen ist als einzelne und äußerliche Seiten, und dann weil die Interessen und Zwecke der Besonderheit (die Kosten mit ihren Folgen, größern Auflagen u. s. f.) in dem Bewußtseyn der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft für höher angeschlagen werden, als das an und für sich nothwendige, das auf diese Weise nur als ein Mittel für jene gilt.
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.
326 Disputes between states may have as their object some particular side of their relation; for such disputes the particular part devoted to the defense of the state also has its chief vocation. But in so far as the state as such, its independence, comes into danger, duty summons all its citizens to its defense. When the whole has thus become power, and has been torn out of its inner life into itself, outward, the war of defense passes over into a war of conquest.
That the armed force of the state, a standing army, and the destination to the particular business of its defense becomes an estate is the same necessity by which the other particular moments, interests and businesses become a marriage estate, estates of trade, of the state, of business and so on. Reasoning, which goes back and forth over grounds, loses itself in considerations of the greater advantages or the greater disadvantages of introducing standing armies, and opinion gladly decides for the latter, because the concept of the matter is harder to grasp than single and external sides, and then because the interests and purposes of particularity (the costs with their consequences, greater taxes and so on) are rated higher in the consciousness of civil society than what is necessary in and for itself, which in this way counts only as a means for those.
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.
326 Quarrels between states may concern some particular side of their relation. For such quarrels the particular part devoted to the defense of the state has its main task. But when the state as such, its independence, comes into danger, duty calls on all its citizens to defend it. When the whole has thus become a power, and has been torn out of its inner life and turned outward, the defensive war passes over into a war of conquest.
The armed force of the state becomes a standing army, and the task of its particular business of defense becomes an estate. This follows from the same necessity by which the other particular moments, interests and businesses become estates: a marriage, and estates of trade, of the state, of business and so on. Reasoning that goes back and forth over grounds indulges in reflections on the greater advantages or the greater disadvantages of introducing standing armies. Opinion likes to decide for the disadvantages. This is partly because the concept of the matter is harder to grasp than single and external sides. It is partly because the interests and purposes of particularity (the costs and their consequences, higher taxes and so on) are rated higher in the consciousness of civil society than what is necessary in and for itself. In this way the necessary counts only as a means for those interests.
About this section
Section 326 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 328 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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