Section 355
Original German
355 1) Das Orientalische Reich.
Diß erste Reich ist die vom patriarchalischen Naturganzen ausgehende, in sich ungetrennte, substantielle Weltanschauung, in der die weltliche Regierung Theokratie, der Herrscher auch Hoherpriester oder Gott, Staatsverfassung und Gesetzgebung zugleich Religion, so wie die religiösen und moralischen Gebote oder vielmehr Gebräuche eben so Staats- und Rechtsgesetze sind. In der Pracht dieses Ganzen gehet die individuelle Persönlichkeit rechtlos unter, die äußere Natur ist unmittelbar göttlich oder ein Schmuck des Gottes, und die Geschichte der Wirklichkeit Poesie. Die nach den verschiedenen Seiten der Sitten, Regierung und des Staats hin sich entwickelnden Unterschiede werden, an der Stelle der Gesetze, bey einfacher Sitte, schwerfällige, weitläuftige, abergläubische Ceremonien, — Zufälligkeiten persönlicher Gewalt und willkührlichen Herrschens, und die Gegliederung in Stände eine natürliche Festigkeit von Kasten. Der orientalische Staat, ist daher nur lebendig in seiner Bewegung, welche, da in ihm selbst nichts stät und, was fest ist, versteinert ist, nach außen geht, ein elementarisches Toben und Verwüsten wird; die innerliche Ruhe ist ein Privatleben und Versinken in Schwäche und Ermattung.
Das Moment der noch substantiellen, natürlichen Geistigkeit in der Staatsbildung, das als Form in der Geschichte jedes Staats den absoluten Ausgangspunkt macht, ist an den besondern Staaten geschichtlich zugleich mit tiefem Sinn und mit Gelehrsamkeit, in der Schrift: Vom Untergange der Naturstaaten Berlin 1812 (vom Hrn. Dr. Stuhr) hervorgehoben und nachgewiesen, und damit der vernünftigen Betrachtung der Geschichte der Verfassung und der Geschichte überhaupt der Weg gebahnt. Das Princip der Subjectivität und selbstbewußten Freyheit ist dort gleichfalls in der germanischen Nation aufgezeigt, jedoch, indem die Abhandlung nur bis zum Untergang der Naturstaaten geht, auch nur bis dahin geführt, wo es theils als unruhige Beweglichkeit, menschliche Willkühr und Verderben, theils in seiner besonderen Gestalt als Gemüth erscheint, und sich nicht bis zur Objectivität der selbstbewußten Substantialität, zu organischer Gesetzlichkeit, entwickelt hat.
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.
355 1) The Oriental Realm.
This first realm is the substantial view of the world, proceeding from the patriarchal natural whole and undivided within itself, in which worldly government is theocracy, the ruler is also high priest or God, the constitution of the state and legislation are at the same time religion, and the religious and moral commandments, or rather customs, are just as much laws of state and of right. In the splendor of this whole, individual personality perishes without right, external nature is immediately divine or an adornment of the god, and the history of actuality is poetry. The differences that develop toward the various sides of customs, government, and the state become, in the place of laws, amid simple custom, ponderous, long-winded, superstitious ceremonies—contingencies of personal violence and of arbitrary rule—and the articulation into estates becomes a natural fixity of castes. The Oriental state is therefore alive only in its movement, which, since in it itself nothing is steady and what is fixed is petrified, goes outward and becomes an elemental raging and devastation; its inner repose is a private life and a sinking into weakness and exhaustion.
The moment of the still substantial, natural spirituality in the formation of the state, which as form makes the absolute starting point in the history of every state, has been brought out and demonstrated in particular states, historically, with both profound sense and learning, in the work On the Downfall of the Natural States, Berlin 1812 (by Dr. Stuhr), and thereby the way has been paved for a rational consideration of the history of constitutions and of history in general. The principle of subjectivity and self-conscious freedom is likewise pointed out there in the Germanic nation, but, since the treatise goes only as far as the downfall of the natural states, it too is carried only to the point where it appears partly as restless mobility, human arbitrary will, and corruption, partly in its particular shape as disposition of heart, and has not developed into the objectivity of self-conscious substantiality, into organic lawfulness.
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.
355 1) The Oriental Realm.
This first realm is a substantial view of the world. It starts from the patriarchal natural whole and is not divided within itself. In it, worldly government is theocracy. The ruler is also high priest or god. The constitution of the state and its legislation are at the same time religion. The religious and moral commands, or rather customs, are equally laws of the state and laws of right. In the splendor of this whole, individual personality goes under without any rights. Outer nature is immediately divine, or an ornament of the god, and the history of actual reality is poetry. Differences develop on the various sides of morals, government and the state. Where laws would stand, there arise, alongside simple custom, heavy, long-winded, superstitious ceremonies. There also arise chance occurrences of personal force and arbitrary rule, and the division into estates becomes a natural fixity of castes. So the Oriental state is alive only in its movement. Nothing in the state itself stands still, and whatever is fixed is turned to stone. So the movement goes outward and becomes an elemental raging and devastation. Inner calm is a private life and a sinking into weakness and exhaustion.
The moment of still substantial, natural spirituality in the formation of the state is the absolute starting point in the history of every state, as its form. This moment has been brought out and demonstrated for particular states, historically, with deep insight and with learning. The work is On the Downfall of the Natural States (Berlin, 1812), by Dr. Stuhr. In this way it has opened the way for a rational study of the history of constitutions and of history in general. There the principle of subjectivity and self-conscious freedom is likewise pointed out in the Germanic nation. But the treatise goes only as far as the downfall of the natural states. So it carries that principle only up to the point where it appears partly as restless mobility, human arbitrary choice and corruption, and partly in its particular form as disposition of the heart. It has not developed into the objectivity of self-conscious substantiality, into organic lawfulness.
About this section
Section 355 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 357 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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