Walter Kauffman - The Hegel Myth

8/9/2019 Walter Kauffman - The Hegel Myth

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Walter Kaufmann 1959The Hegel Myth and Its Method

Source: “From Shakeseare to !"#stent#al#sm: Stud#es #n $oetry% &el#g#on% and $h#losohy' (yWalter Kaufmann% )eacon $ress% )oston 1959% age **+119% ,hater -: The Hegel Myth and ItsMethod.Transcr#(ed: (y Ka# Froe(/1/ Hegel0s #mortance/

Hegel as not a agan l#ke Shakeseare and 2oethe (ut a h#losoher ho cons#dered h#mself,hr#st#an and tr#ed to do from a $rotestant o#nt of 3#e hat 4u#nas had attemted s#" hundredyears earl#er: he sought to fash#on a synthes#s of 2reek h#losohy and ,hr#st#an#ty% mak#ng fulluse of the la(ors of h#s redecessors/ 4mong these he counted not only the great h#losohersfrom Heracl#tus and $lato don to Kant% F#chte% and Schell#ng (ut also such orld+h#stor#c#nd#3#duals as $aul and the men ho had made the French &e3olut#on/ 4s he sa #t% h#losohyd#d not stand (eteen rel#g#on and oetry (ut a(o3e (oth/ $h#losohy as% accord#ng to h#m% #tsage comrehended #n thought% and 6 to e"aggerate a l#ttle 6 the h#losoher0s task as tocomrehend hat the rel#g#ous erson and the oet feel/

Hegel0s enormous #mortance (ecomes clear as soon as e reflect on h#s h#stor#c role/ There #s%f#rst% h#s d#rect #nfluence% h#ch aears not only #n h#losoh#c #deal#sm% h#ch% at the turn of thelast century% dom#nated )r#t#sh and 4mer#can h#losohy 6 )radley% )osanuet% McTaggart% T/ H/2reen% and &oyce% to g#3e (ut f#3e e"amles 6 (ut also #n almost all su(seuent h#stor#es ofh#losohy% (eg#nn#ng #th the eoch+mak#ng orks of !rdmann% 7eller% and Kuno F#scher/ It asHegel ho esta(l#shed the h#story of h#losohy as a central academ#c d#sc#l#ne and as art ofthe core of any h#losoh#c educat#on/ It as also Hegel ho esta(l#shed the 3#e that thed#fferent h#losoh#c systems that e f#nd #n h#story are to (e comrehended #n terms ofde3eloment and that they are generally one+s#ded (ecause they oe the#r or#g#ns to a react#onaga#nst hat has gone (efore/

Secondly% most of the more #mortant h#losoh#c mo3ements s#nce h#s death ha3e (een so

many react#ons aga#nst Hegel0s on #deal#sm and cannot (e fully understood #thout some grasof h#s h#losohy/ The f#rst to great re3olts ere those of K#erkegaard and Mar"% ho salloedeas#ly as much of h#s h#losohy as they re8ected: nota(ly% h#s d#alect#c/ Today Mar"0s d#alect#cdom#nates a large art of the total oulat#on of the glo(e% h#le K#erkegaard0s has (een adated(y some of the most outstand#ng th#nkers of the free orld% nota(ly He#degger and T#ll#ch% )arthand #e(uhr/

To later re3olts aga#nst Hegel#an#sm dom#nate !ngl#sh and 4mer#can h#losohy #n the tent#ethcentury: ragmat#sm and analyt#c h#losohy/ W#ll#am ames% though occas#onally he attackedHegel h#mself% reconstructed Hegel somehat #n the #mage of h#s Har3ard colleague% &oyce% hoas then the outstand#ng 4mer#can #deal#st. h#le Moore% at ,am(r#dge% ho as 8o#ned (y&ussell% led the f#ght aga#nst the #nfluence of )radley and McTaggart/

;ne of the fe th#ngs on h#ch the analysts% ragmat#sts% and e"#stent#al#sts agree #th thed#alect#cal theolog#ans #s that Hegel #s to (e reud#ated: the#r att#tude toard Kant% 4r#stotle% $lato%and the other great h#losohers #s not at all unan#mous e3en #th#n each mo3ement. (utoos#t#on to Hegel #s art of the latform of all four% and of the Mar"#sts% too/ ;ddly% the manhom all these mo3ements take to (e so cruc#ally #mortant #s (ut l#ttle knon to most of the#radherents. 3ery fe #ndeed ha3e read as many as to of the four (ooks that Hegel u(l#shed/

Hegel #s knon largely through secondary sources and a fe #ncr#m#nat#ng slogans andgeneral#<at#ons/ The result#ng myth% hoe3er% lacked a comrehens#3e% documented statement t#llKarl $oer found a lace for #t #n h#s #dely d#scussed (ook% The ;en Soc#ety and Its !nem#es/



4fter #t had gone through three #mress#ons #n !ngland% a re3#sed one+3olume ed#t#on as(rought out #n the =n#ted States #n 195>% f#3e years after #ts or#g#nal aearance/? ,r#t#ue of a cr#t#c/

To e"lode the oular Hegel legend one can hardly do (etter than to deal #n some deta#l #th$oer0s Hegel chater/ Th#s #n3ol3es a temorary dearture from rel#g#on and oetry% (ut thede3eloment “from Shakeseare to e"#stent#al#sm' cannot (e understood #thout some gras ofHegel and some d#scuss#on of the #dely acceted #mage of Hegel/ Moreo3er% Hegel #s sofreuently ment#oned #n contemorary d#scuss#ons that #t #s #ntr#ns#cally orth h#le to sho horong many #desread assumt#ons a(out h#m are/ Th#rdly% our study should #nclude somee"l#c#t cons#derat#on of uest#ons of method% and esec#ally of common #tfalls/ F#nally% e shallha3e occas#on% as e de3elo Hegel0s actual 3#es% to call attent#on to the rel#g#ous roots of someof h#s most character#st#c not#ons/

Those ho ne3ertheless refer to sk# th#s chater to #ck u the thread #n the ne"t should atleast take note of the author0s aareness that gross fals#f#cat#ons of h#story are not the monoolyof M#n#3er ,hee3y/ Forard+look#ng l#(erals and e3en (el#e3ers #n “#ecemeal soc#al eng#neer#ng%'l#ke $oer% often d#stort h#story% too/ 4nd so% alas% d#d Hegel/

4 deta#led cr#t#ue of $oer0s s#"ty+n#ne ages on Hegel may (e refaced #th a motto from

#et<sche0s !cce Homo:

“I only a3a#l myself of the erson as of a strong magn#fy#ng glass #th h#ch one can render3#s#(le a general (ut cree#ng calam#ty h#ch #t #s other#se hard to get hold of/'

The calam#ty #n our case #s tofold/ F#rst% $oer0s treatment conta#ns more m#sconcet#onsa(out Hegel than any other s#ngle essay/ Secondly% #f one agrees #th $oer that “#ntellectualhonesty #s fundamental for e3eryth#ng e cher#sh' @/ ?5AB% one should rotest aga#nst h#smethods. for although h#s hatred of total#tar#an#sm #s the #ns#rat#on and central mot#f of h#s (ook%h#s methods are unfortunately s#m#lar to those of total#tar#an “scholars' 6 and they are sread#ng#n the free orld% too/A Scholarsh#/

4lthough the mere resence of n#neteen ages of notes suggests that h#s attack on Hegel #s(ased on careful scholarsh#% $oer #gnores the most #mortant orks on h#s su(8ect/ Th#s #sdou(ly ser#ous (ecause he #s #ntent on sycholog#<#ng the men he attacks: he deals not only #ththe#r arguments (ut also 6 #f not altogether more 6 #th the#r alleged mot#3es/ Th#s ract#ce #s asdangerous as #t #s fash#ona(le% (ut #n some cases there #s no outr#ght e3#dence to the contrary:one can only say that $oer cred#ts all the men he cr#t#c#<es% e"cet Mar"% #th the orstoss#(le #ntent#ons/ @ Mar" he cred#ts #th the (est #ntent#ons/B

In the case of Hegel% there #s 3olum#nous e3#dence that $oer #gnores: (eg#nn#ng #th C#lthey0s#oneer#ng study of 19>D and the su(seuent u(l#cat#on of Hegel0s early r#t#ngs% amle mater#alhas (een made a3a#la(le concern#ng the de3eloment of h#s #deas/ There #s e3en a to+3olumestudy (y Fran< &osen<e#g% the fr#end of Mart#n )u(er% that sec#f#cally treats the de3eloment of those #deas #th h#ch $oer #s concerned a(o3e all: Hegel und der Staat/

Furthermore% $oer has rel#ed largely on Scr#(ner0s Hegel Select#ons% a l#ttle anthology forstudents that conta#ns not a s#ngle comlete ork/ E#ke 2#lson #n The =n#ty of $h#losoh#cal!"er#ence @/ ?DB% $oer takes o3er such a gross m#stranslat#on as “the State #s the march of2od through the orld%' although the or#g#nal says merely that #t #s the ay of 2od #th the orldthat there should (e the State% and e3en th#s sentence #s lack#ng #n the te"t u(l#shed (y Hegeland comes from one of the ed#tor0s add#t#ons to the osthumous ed#t#on of The $h#losohy of&#ght 6 and the ed#tor adm#tted #n h#s $reface that% though these add#t#ons ere (ased on lecturenotes% “the cho#ce of ords' as somet#mes h#s rather than Hegel0s/



$oer also aears to (e unaare of cruc#al assages% #f not ent#re orks% that are not #ncluded#n these Select#ons. for e"amle% the assage on ar #n Hegel0s f#rst (ook% h#ch shos that h#slater concet#on of ar% h#ch #s far more moderate% as not adoted to accommodate the k#ng of $russ#a% as $oer ma#nta#ns/ The assage on ar #n Hegel0s $henomenology of the S#r#t% #n thesect#on on “The !th#cal World%' as r#tten hen Hegel 6 a Sa(#an% not a $russ#an 6 adm#redaoleon and as u(l#shed #n 1*>-% a year after $russ#a0s de3astat#ng defeat at ena/ Hegel0s3#es on ar #ll (e cons#dered soon @#n sect#on IIB. (ut uest#ons of method reu#re our attent#onf#rst/ Gu#lt uotat#ons/

Th#s de3#ce% used (y other r#ters% too% has not rece#3ed the cr#t#c#sm #t deser3es/ Sentences are#cked from 3ar#ous conte"ts% often e3en out of d#fferent (ooks% enclosed (y a s#ngle set ofuotat#on marks% and searated only (y three dots% h#ch are generally taken to #nd#cate no morethan the om#ss#on of a fe ords/ $la#nly% th#s de3#ce can (e used to #mute to an author 3#es hene3er held/

Here% for e"amle% #s a u#lt uotat#on a(out ar and arson: “Co not th#nk that I ha3e come to(r#ng eace on earth. I ha3e not come to (r#ng eace% (ut a sord/// / I came to cast f#re uon theearth/// / Co you th#nk that I ha3e come to g#3e eace on earth o% I tell you/// / Eet h#m ho hasno sord sell h#s mantle and (uy one/' Th#s #s scarcely the (est ay to esta(l#sh esus0 3#es of

ar and arson/ In the orks of some h#losohers% too 6 nota(ly% #et<sche 6 only the conte"tcan sho hether a ord #s meant l#terally/

The r#t#ngs of Hegel and $lato a(ound #n adm#ttedly one+s#ded statements that are clearly meantto formulate o#nts of 3#e that are then shon to (e #nadeuate and are countered (y anotherersect#3e/ Thus an #mress#3e u#lt uotat#on could (e atched together to con3#nce gull#(lereaders that Hegel as 6 deend#ng on the “scholar0s' lans 6 e#ther emhat#cally for or utterlyoosed to% say% “eual#ty/' )ut the understand#ng of Hegel ould (e ad3anced e3er so muchmore (y c#t#ng one of h#s remarks a(out eual#ty #n conte"t% sho#ng ho #t #s a ste #n anargument that #s des#gned to lead the reader to a (etter comrehens#on of eual#ty and not toenl#st h#s emot#ons e#ther for #t or aga#nst #t/

!3en those ho ould not reduce all h#losohy to such analyses should surely grant the

am(#gu#ty of ords l#ke eual#ty and freedom% good and 2od 6 and also that h#losohers can (eof ser3#ce (y d#st#ngu#sh#ng some of the d#fferent mean#ngs of such terms #nstead of a#ngol#t#c#ans (y assur#ng us that they are heart#ly #n fa3or of all four/ $oer r#tes l#ke a d#str#ctattorney ho ants to ersuade h#s aud#ence that Hegel as aga#nst 2od% freedom% and eual#ty6 and uses u#lt uotat#ons to con3#nce us/

The f#rst of these @/ ??- B cons#sts of e#ght fragments of h#ch e3ery s#ngle one #s due to one ofHegel0s students and as not u(l#shed (y h#m/ 4lthough $oer scruulously marks referencesto 2ans0s add#t#ons to the $h#losohy of &#ght #th an “E' and #n3ar#a(ly g#3es all the referencesfor h#s u#lt uotat#ons 6 e/g/% “For the e#ght uotat#ons #n th#s aragrah% cf/ Select#ons ///' 6 fereaders #ndeed #ll recall hen they come to the otes at the end of the (ook that “the e#ghtuotat#ons' are the u#lt uotat#ons that they took for a s#ngle assage/ 4nd $oer ad3#ses h#sreaders “f#rst to read #thout #nterrut#on through the te"t of a chater% and then to turn to the

otes/'

Gu#lt uotat#ons #n3#te comar#son #th comos#te hotograhs/ In a cama#gn for a seat #n the =/S/ Senate% one such hotograh as used that shoed one cand#date shak#ng hands #th thehead of the ,ommun#st arty/ It matters l#ttle hether #t as la(eled #n f#ne r#nt “comos#tehotograh/'

To (e sure% uotat#ons and hotograhs that are not atched together may (e grossly unfa#r% too.and #n rare cases% comos#te ones m#ght not (e unfa#r/ )ut a self+resect#ng cand#date #ll notuse atched+u hotograhs of h#s oonent. and a scholar should not use a u#lt uotat#on to



#nd#ct the men he cr#t#c#<es/5/ “Influence/'

o concet#on #s (and#ed a(out more unscruulously #n the h#story of #deas than “Influence/'$oer0s not#on of #t #s so utterly unsc#ent#f#c that one should ne3er guess that he has done#mortant ork on log#c and on sc#ent#f#c method/ 4t (est% #t #s reduc#(le to ost hoc% ergo roterhoc/ Thus he seaks of “the Hegel#an )ergson' @/ ?5D and n/ DDB and assumes% #thout g#3#ngany e3#dence hate3er% that )ergson% Smuts% 4le"ander% and Wh#tehead ere all #nterested #nHegel% s#mly (ecause they ere “e3olut#on#sts' @/ ??5 and n/ DB/

What esec#ally concerns $oer 6 and many another cr#t#c of 2erman th#nkers 6 #s the“#nfluence' that the accused had on the a<#s/ H#s Hegel chater #s studded #th uotat#ons fromrecent 2erman r#ters% almost all of h#ch are taken from The War 4ga#nst the West (y Kolna#/ Inth#s remarka(le (ook Fr#edr#ch 2undolf% Werner aeger @ Har3ardB% and Ma" Scheler are #cturedas “reresentat#3e of a<#sm or at least #ts general trend and atmoshere/' Kolna# #s also underthe #mress#on that the men ho contr#(uted most “to the r#se of at#onal Soc#al#sm as a creed'ere #et<he “and Stefan 2eorge% less great (ut% erhas (ecause of h#s homose"ual#ty% mored#rectly #nstrumental #n creat#ng the Th#rd &e#ch' @/ 1 B. that #et<sche as a “half+$ole' @/5AB. that the great rac#st H/ S/ ,ham(erla#n “as a mello !ngl#shman ta#nted (y no"#ous2erman #nfluences' @/ 55B. and that asers #s a “folloer' of He#degger @/ ?>- B/ It ould

seem ad3#sa(le to check the conte"t of any uotat#ons from Kolna#0s (ook (efore one uses them%(ut Kolna# generally g#3es no references/ $oer r#tes:

I am greatly #nde(ted to Kolna#0s (ook% h#ch has made #t oss#(le for me to uote #n therema#n#ng art of th#s chater a cons#dera(le num(er of authors ho ould other#se ha3e (een#naccess#(le to me/ @I ha3e not% hoe3er% alays folloed the ord#ng of Kolna#0s translat#ons/B

He e3#dently changed the ord#ng #thout check#ng the or#g#nals or e3en the conte"t/

$oer uses uotat#on after uotat#on from Kolna# to o#nt out suosed s#m#lar#t#es #th Hegel%(ut ne3er stos to ask hether the men he c#tes had read Hegel% hat they thought of h#m% orhere% #n fact% they d#d% get the#r #deas/ Thus e are told that the #dea of “fame #s re3#3ed (yHegel' @/ ?DD B% for Hegel soke of fame as a “reard' of the men hose deeds are recorded #n

our h#story (ooks 6 h#ch ould seem a tr#te enough #dea that could also (e ascr#(ed to scoresof s#ncere democrats 6 (ut $oer goes on: “and Stael% a roagator of the ne agan#<ed,hr#st#an#ty% romtly #/e/% one hundred years laterJ reeats s#cJ: 4ll great deeds ere done forthe sake of fame or glory/L' Th#s #s surely u#te a d#fferent #dea and not tr#te (ut false/ $oerh#mself adm#ts that Stael “#s e3en more rad#cal than Hegel/' Surely% one must uest#on therele3ance of the hole sect#on deal#ng #th Stael and other recent r#ters. th#s #s not h#story of#deas (ut an attemt to esta(l#sh gu#lt (y assoc#at#on on the same age 6 #n the hoe% #t seems%that semer al#u#d haeret/

It #s also the he#ght of na3etN / 4 u#ck d# #nto a good d#ct#onary of uotat#ons ould ha3e shon$oer a great many closer arallels to Stael than he found #n Hegel/ $erhas the moste"treme% and also the most memora(le% formulat#ons are found #n some oets hose #nfluenceould (e hard to gauge/ Shakeseare r#tes:

Eet fame% that all hunt after #n the#r l#3es% E#3e reg#sterLd uon our (ra<en tom(s/

4nd though these l#nes occur #n one of h#s comed#es% Eo3e0s Ea(our0s Eost% he certa#nly d#d notth#nk meanly of fame/ )en onson e3en ent a ste further #n Se8anus @ I% ##B: “,ontemt of fame(egets contemt of 3#rtue/' 4nd Fr#edr#ch Sch#ller 3o#ced a st#ll more rad#cal 3#e 6 #n a oemthat many 2erman school ch#ldren learn (y heart% Cas S#egesfest% h#ch deals #th the 2reeks0cele(rat#on of the#r tr#umh o3er Troy:

;f the goods that man has cher#shed



M/ Kno"0s art#cle on “Hegel and $russ#an#sm' #n $h#losohy% anuary% 19>% and h#s d#scuss#on#th ,arr#tt #n the 4r#l and uly #ssues/

Hegel% e are told% “ants to sto rat#onal argument% and #th #t% sc#ent#f#c and #ntellectualrogress' @/ ?A5 B% and h#s d#alect#cs “are 3ery largely des#gned to er3ert the #deas of 1-*9' @/?A- B/ When Hegel e"l#c#tly comes out #n fa3or of the th#ngs that% accord#ng to h#s accuser% heoosed% th#s #s called l# ser3#ce' @ns/ II and AB/ Thus $oer cla#ms 6 l#ke )Rumler #n h#s a<#3ers#on of #et<sche 6 that the man hom he rofesses to #nterret d#d not mean hat he clearlysa#d/ Gu#lt uotat#ons are used to esta(l#sh a man0s 3#es% and h#s e"l#c#t statements ared#scounted hen they are #ncon3en#ent/

In the name of “the cr#t#cal and rat#onal methods of sc#ence%' one must also rotest aga#nst suchemot#onal ad hom#nem arguments as that He#degger0s h#losohy must (e rong (ecause he(ecame a a<# later on @/ ?-1 B% or that “Haeckel can hardly (e taken ser#ously as a h#losoheror sc#ent#st/ He called h#mself a free th#nker% (ut h#s th#nk#ng as not suff#c#ently #ndeendent tore3ent h#m from demand#ng #n 191 the follo#ng fru#ts of 3#ctory ///L' @n/ D5 B/ )y the sametoken% one m#ght seek to d#scred#t $oer0s h#losohy of sc#ence (y o#nt#ng to h#s treatment ofHegel% or eton0s hys#cs (y call#ng attent#on to h#s a(sor(#ng concern #th mag#c% h#ch EordKeynes has descr#(ed #n h#s !ssays and Sketches #n )#ograhy/

$oer0s occas#onal references to “the doctr#ne of the chosen eole%' h#ch he assoc#ates #thtotal#tar#an#sm% sho l#ttle knoledge of the rohets though a great deal of emot#on% and h#sreferences to ,hr#st#an#ty are also (ased on sent#ment rather than the log#c of research/ He #s“for' ,hr#st#an#ty% (ut means (y #t someth#ng that #s utterly at 3ar#ance #th the e"l#c#t teach#ngs of $aul% the ,athol#c ,hurch% Euther% and ,al3#n/

Hegel0s re8ect#on of the adeuacy of consc#ence as a gu#de #n moral uest#ons #s countered (y$oer0s arenthes#s% “that #s to say% the moral#sts ho refer% for e"amle% to the e Testament'@/ ?D? B 6 as #f no cr#mes had e3er (een comm#tted #n the name of the e Testament/ ul#usStre#cher% #n h#s 3#olently ant#+Sem#t#c aer% Cer StOrmer% constantly uoted the 2osel accord#ngto St/ ohn/

;ne of the most #mortant cr#t#c#sms of $oer0s aroach% and of the large l#terature that

resem(les h#s attack on Hegel% m#ght (e summed u (y c#t#ng Mar#ta#n0s e#gram fromScholast#c#sm and $ol#t#cs @/ 1- B: “If (ooks ere 8udged (y the (ad uses man can ut them to%hat (ook has (een more m#sused than the )#(le'- Hegel0s metahys#cs/

To s#mle o#nts may #llustrate ho thoroughly $oer m#sunderstands the hole frameork ofHegel0s thought/ F#rst% he cla#ms that Hegel taught that “self+e3#dence #s the same as truth' @/?A- B% although Hegel0s f#rst (ook (eg#ns #th the den#al of th#s 3#e and Hegel ne3er changed h#sm#nd a(out th#s/

The second o#nt #s more #mortant (ecause Hegel has so often (een m#sunderstood #n th#s ay/“Hegel (el#e3es% #th 4r#stotle% that the Ideas or essences are #n the th#ngs #n flu". or morerec#sely @as far as e can treat a Hegel #th rec#s#onB% Hegel teaches that they are #dent#cal

#th the th#ngs #n flu": !3eryth#ng actual #s an Idea%0 he says' @/ ?A1 B/ et one need not lookfarther than &oyce0s helful art#cle on Hegel0s term#nology #n )ald#n0s C#ct#onary of $h#losohyand $sychology to f#nd that “actual' #s% #n Hegel0s ork% a techn#cal term @as #ts eu#3alent as #n$lato0s and 4r#stotle0sB% and that (e 3ery emhat#cally d#d not cla#m that Ideas 6 another techn#calterm 6 “are #dent#cal #th the th#ngs #n flu"/'

The d#ctum around h#ch these m#s#nterretat#ons ha3e (een o3en most ers#stently% (eg#nn#nghen Hegel as st#ll al#3e% occurs #n the $reface to h#s $h#losohy of &#ght and reads: “What #srat#onal% #s actual. and hat #s actual% #s rat#onal/'



Th#s d#ctum #s 3ery s#m#lar to Ee#(n#<0s #dea that th#s orld #s the (est of all oss#(le orlds/W#thout symath#<#ng #n the least #th e#ther of these to #deas% one should real#<e that (oth arerooted #n rel#g#on/ In the th#rd ed#t#on of h#s !ncycloaed#a @ 1*A>. DB Hegel h#mself sa#d of h#se#gram:

These s#mle sentences ha3e seemed str#k#ng to some and ha3e e"c#ted host#l#ty 6 e3en fromeole ho ould not #sh to deny some understand#ng of h#losohy% not to seak of rel#g#on/// /When I ha3e soken of actual#ty% one m#ght ha3e #nu#red% #thout (e#ng told to do so% #n hatsense I use th#s e"ress#on. after all% I ha3e treated actual#ty #n an ela(orate Eog#c and thered#st#ngu#shed #t rec#sely not only from the acc#dental% h#ch% of course% has e"#stence% too% (utalso% #n great deta#l% from (e#ng there% e"#stence% and other concets/

4las% th#s assage as not #ncluded #n Scr#(ner0s Select#ons. hence these d#st#nct#ons areo3erlooked (y $oer% ho re#terates the oular myth that% accord#ng to Hegel% “e3eryth#ng that#s no real or actual /// must (e reasona(le as ell as good/ 4nd art#cularly good #s% as e shallsee% the actually e"#st#ng $russ#an state/'

It ould re3ent some confus#on #f Hegel0s term #rkl#ch ere translated actual% see#ng that heoosed #t to otent#al rather than to unreal or none"#stent/ 4n acorn% though certa#nly realenough #n the usual sense of that ord% #s not% as Hegel uses that term% #rkl#ch/ ;nly that #s

actual #n Hegel0s sense h#ch fully real#<es #ts on nature or% as Hegel m#ght say% the “#dea' ofh#ch most e"#stent th#ngs fall short/ 4nd the $russ#an state% though% accord#ng to Hegel% morerat#onal than a state that #s (ased on sla3ery% yet fell short #n some resects% as h#s $h#losohy of&#ght makes clear% of the “#dea' of the state/* The State/

When Hegel seaks of “the State' he does not mean e3ery state encountered #n e"er#ence/Immed#ately after f#rst offer#ng h#s e#gram a(out the rat#onal and actual% he h#mself cont#nued:

What matters #s th#s: to recogn#<e #n the sem(lance of the temoral and trans#ent the su(stanceh#ch #s #mmanent and the eternal h#ch #s resent #n #t/ For the rat#onal @h#ch #s synonymous#th the IdeaB% #n #ts actual#ty% also em(eds #tself #n e"ternal e"#stence and thus man#fests #tself #nan #nf#n#te ealth of forms% aearances% and f#gures% shroud#ng #ts core #n a mult#+colored r#nd/

;ur consc#ousness f#rst dells on th#s r#nd% and only after that does h#losoh#c th#nk#ng enetrate#t to detect the #nard ulse and to erce#3e #ts (eat e3en #n the e"ternal forms/ The #nf#n#tely3ar#ed relat#ons% hoe3er% h#ch take shae #n th#s e"ternal#ty /// th#s #nf#n#te mater#al and #tsorgan#<at#on are not the su(8ect matter of h#losohy/

Thus Hegel ould d#st#ngu#sh (eteen the Idea of the State% h#ch he means hen he seaks of“the State%' and the many states around us/ )ut the Idea% he cla#ms% does not res#de #n a $laton#chea3en% (ut #s resent% more or less d#storted% #n these states/ The h#losoher should ne#ther#mmerse h#mself #n the descr#t#on and deta#led analys#s of 3ar#ous h#stor#cal states% nor turn h#s(ack on h#story to (ehold some #nner 3#s#on: he should d#sentangle the rat#onal core from the e(of h#story/

Hegel #s not dr#3en to “8ur#d#cal os#t#3#sm' and the aro(at#on of e3ery state #th h#ch he #s

confronted% as $oer suoses @/ ?5? B: he can ass 8udgment/ Hegel makes a shard#st#nct#on (eteen such h#losoh#c 8udgment and the ar(#trary cr#t#c#sms that reflect ersonal#d#osyncras#es and re8ud#ces/ Th#s ould not #n3ol3e any d#ff#culty #f he ere #ll#ng to restr#cth#mself to #nternal cr#t#c#sm% o#nt#ng out the mult#far#ous #ncons#stenc#es that are so str#k#ng #n theutterances of most statesmen% #n the latforms of most art#es% and #n the (as#c con3#ct#ons ofmost eole/ Hegel% hoe3er% goes further/

He (el#e3es #n a rat#onal orld order and #n h#s a(#l#ty to understand #t/ For h#m% l#fe #s not “a taletold (y an #d#ot'. and h#story% not merely% although also% a success#on of traged#es/ There #s anult#mate urose 6 freedom 6 and th#s furn#shes a standard of 8udgment/



4 fe uotat#ons from the $h#losohy of &#ght may #llustrate th#s/ “;ne may (e a(le to sho hoa la #s comletely founded #n% and cons#stent #th% (oth c#rcumstances and e"#st#ng legal#nst#tut#ons% and yet #s truly #lleg#t#mate and #rrat#onal' @AB/ Hegel also seaks of “unal#ena(le'r#ghts and condemns% #thout ual#f#cat#on%

sla3ery% serfdom% the d#sual#f#cat#on from hold#ng roerty or the re3ent#on of #ts use or the l#ke%and the der#3at#on of #ntell#gent rat#onal#ty% of moral#ty% eth#cs% and rel#g#on% h#ch #s encountered#n suerst#t#on and the concess#on to others of the author#ty and full oer to determ#ne andrescr#(e for me hat act#ons I am to erform /// or hat dut#es my consc#ence #s to demand fromme% or hat #s to (e rel#g#ous truth for me DDJ/

4ccord#ng to the add#t#on of 2ans% the ed#tor% Hegel remarked #n h#s lectures #n th#s connect#onthat “the sla3e has an a(solute r#ght to l#(erate h#mself' @cf/ also --B/

Hegel #s not #ncons#stent hen he r#tes: “the State cannot recogn#<e consc#ence 2e#ssenJ #n#ts ecul#ar form% #/e/% as su(8ect#3e knoledge W#ssenJ% 8ust as #n sc#ence% too% su(8ect#3eo#n#on% assurance% and the aeal to su(8ect#3e o#n#on ha3e no 3al#d#ty' @1A-B/ ,onsc#ence #sfall#(le. and% h#le no go3ernment or church has the r#ght to d#ctate to our consc#ence% nogo3ernment can afford to recogn#<e consc#ence as a legal standard/ 4s se3eral of h#s #nterreters

ha3e o#nted out% Hegel% hen he rote the $h#losohy of &#ght% as concerned a(out the recentassass#nat#on of the oet Kot<e(ue (y a student ho as con3#nced that the oet as a &uss#ansy and deser3ed death/

We are (ound to m#sunderstand Hegel hen e aly h#s remarks a(out consc#ence #th#n theframeork of the a<# state/ It ould (e more ert#nent #f e thought of the 2erman &eu(l#c(efore 19AA and of the consc#ence of H#tler/ For (y “the State' Hegel means one #n h#chfreedom #s real#<ed and “a human (e#ng counts (ecause he #s a human (e#ng% not (ecause he #sa e% ,athol#c% $rotestant% 2erman% Ital#an% or the l#ke' 6 and th#s “#s of #nf#n#te #mortance'@?>9. cf/ ?-> n/B/ Hegel ould cons#der rat#onal the consc#ence of an oonent of H#tler horecogn#<ed h#s on a(solute r#ght to make h#mself free and to real#<e h#s unal#ena(le r#ghts 6 (utnot the consc#ence of a fanat#c #melled (y ersonal mot#3es or erhas (y an euallyo(8ect#ona(le #deology/

It #s no onder that the a<#s found small comfort #n a (ook that #s (ased on the con3#ct#on that“the hatred of la% of r#ght made determ#nate (y la% #s the sh#((oleth h#ch re3eals% and erm#tsus to recogn#<e #nfall#(ly% fanat#c#sm% fee(le+m#ndedness% and the hyocr#sy of good #ntent#ons%hoe3er they may d#sgu#se themsel3es' @?5* n/B/ In h#s $reface% too% Hegel called the la “the(est sh#((oleth to d#st#ngu#sh the false (rothers and fr#ends of the so+called eole/' ;ne mayagree #th Her(ert Marcuse hen he says #n &eason and &e3olut#on: Hegel and the &#se ofSoc#al Theory: “There #s no concet less comat#(le #th Fasc#st #deology than that h#ch foundsthe state on a un#3ersal and rat#onal la that safeguards the #nterests of e3ery #nd#3#dual%hate3er the cont#ngenc#es of h#s natural and soc#al status' @/ 1*> f/B/

In sum: $oer #s m#staken hen he says% l#ke many another cr#t#c% that% accord#ng to Hegel% “theonly oss#(le standard of 8udgment uon the state #s the orld h#stor#cal success of #ts act#ons' @/

?D> B/ Success #s not the standard #n3oked #n the $h#losohy of &#ght hen Hegel seaks of “(adstates/' “The State' does not refer to one of “the th#ngs #n flu"%' (ut to an Idea and a standard of 8udgment% to hat states ould (e l#ke #f they l#3ed u fully to the#r ra#son dLUtre/ Th#s reason #s to(e found artly “#n a h#gher shere' @?->B for h#ch Hegel h#mself refers the reader to h#s systemas outl#ned #n h#s !ncycloaed#a/ The hole realm of ;(8ect#3e S#r#t and human #nst#tut#ons thatculm#nates #n the State #s (ut the foundat#on of a h#gher realm of 4(solute S#r#t that comr#sesart% rel#g#on% and h#losohy/

The d#scuss#on of “the State' #n the $h#losohy of &#ght oens #th the ronouncement: “TheState #s the actual#ty of the eth#cal #dea/' If he ere a $laton#st% he ould mean 8ust#ce. (ut Hegel



means freedom: not that freedom from all restra#nts h#ch% at #ts orst% culm#nates #n anarchy%l#cense% and (est#al#ty% (ut% rather% man0s freedom to de3elo h#s human#ty and to cult#3ate art%rel#g#on% and h#losohy/ He cons#ders the State sureme among human #nst#tut#ons (ecause heould su(ord#nate all such #nst#tut#ons to the h#ghest s#r#tual ursu#ts and (ecause he (el#e3esthat these are oss#(le only #n “the State/' He h#mself says: “To (e sure% all great human (e#ngsha3e formed themsel3es #n sol#tude 6 (ut only (y ass#m#lat#ng hat had already (een created #nthe State/V1J ;ne m#ght ne3ertheless #ns#st% as Hegel does not% that conform#ty should (ed#scouraged (eyond the necessary m#n#mum% and one m#ght dell% as #et<sche d#d half acentury later% on the dangers of the State/

It ould (e a(surd to reresent Hegel as a rad#cal #nd#3#dual#st. (ut #t #s eually a(surd to cla#m%as $oer does @/ ?5* B% that Hegel0s State #s “total#tar#an% that #s to say% #ts m#ght must ermeateand control the hole l#fe of the eole #n all #ts funct#ons: The State #s therefore the (as#s andcenter of all the concrete elements #n the l#fe of a eole: of 4rt% Ea% Morals% &el#g#on% andSc#ence/L' $oer0s cla#m s#mly #gnores Hegel0s emhat#c #ns#stence on the shere of “su(8ect#3efreedom%' h#ch he h#mself cons#dered a dec#s#3e ad3ance o3er $lato/ The uotat#on from Hegel%of course% does not at all ro3e the reced#ng content#on: #t means 6 and the conte"t #n thelectures on the $h#losohy of H#story @$refaceB makes th#s u#te clear 6 that the State alonemakes oss#(le the de3eloment of art% la% morals% rel#g#on% and sc#ence/ 4nd Hegel0sformulat#on here shos less the #nfluence of $lato% hom $oer reresents as a terr#(le

total#tar#an% than the #mact of $er#cles% hom $oer adm#res/ The sentence $oer uotescould almost come from Thucyd#des0 3ers#on of $er#cles0 most famous seech/

Hegel0s h#losohy #s oen to many o(8ect#ons% (ut to confound #t #th total#tar#an#sm means tom#sunderstand #t/ !rnst ,ass#rer uts the matter 3ery clearly #n The Myth of the State @19DB% a(ook deal#ng #th much the same mater#al as $oer0s% (ut #n a much more scholarly manner/ H#sHegel chater ends: “Hegel could e"tol and glor#fy the state% he could e3en aotheos#<e #t/ There#s% hoe3er% a clear and unm#staka(le d#fference (eteen h#s #deal#<at#on of the oer of thestate and that sort of #dol#<at#on that #s the character#st#c of our modern total#tar#an systems/'9 H#story/

Hegel% l#ke 4ugust#ne% Eess#ng% and Kant (efore h#m and ,omte% Mar"% Sengler% and Toyn(eeafter h#m% (el#e3ed that h#story has a attern and made (old to re3eal #t/ 4ll these attemts are

contro3ers#al #n deta#l and uest#ona(le #n r#nc#le. (ut a sound cr#t#ue of Hegel should also take#nto account h#s remarka(le restra#nt: he d#d not attemt to lay the rohet and as content tocomrehend the ast/

$oer says that h#s on (ook could (e “descr#(ed as a collect#on of marg#nal notes on thede3eloment of certa#n h#stor#c#st h#losoh#es' @/ B. and% as e ha3e seen% he accuses Hegelof “hyster#cal h#stor#c#sm/' )ut accord#ng to $oer0s def#n#t#on% Hegel as no h#stor#c#st at all: heas not one of those ho “(el#e3e that they ha3e d#sco3ered las of h#story h#ch ena(le them torohesy the course of h#stor#cal e3ents/' Th#s add#ct#on to red#ct#ons #s hat $oer means (yh#stor#c#sm @/ 5 B/

We are told that Hegel as gu#lty of

h#stor#cal and e3olut#onary relat#3#sm 6 #n the form of the dangerous doctr#ne that hat #s(el#e3ed today #s% #n fact% true today% and #n the eually dangerous corollary that hat as trueyesterday @true and not merely “(el#e3ed'B may (e false tomorro 6 a doctr#ne h#ch% surely% #snot l#kely to encourage an arec#at#on of the s#gn#f#cance of trad#t#on / ?5J/

Hegel% of course% e"celled #n h#s arec#at#on of the s#gn#f#cance of trad#t#on. #n h#s (ooks andlectures he took for granted #ts essent#al rat#onal#ty% and he condemned as ar(#trary any cr#t#c#smof the ast or resent that as not accoman#ed (y an arec#at#on of the s#gn#f#cance oftrad#t#on/



He d#d not ma#nta#n “that hat #s (el#e3ed today #s% #n fact% true today' (ut #ns#sted that many ofh#s contemorar#es% (oth h#losohers and “men #n the street%' held many m#staken (el#efs/ 4nd“hat as true yesterday /// may (e false tomorro' #s% #n a sense% a commonlace 6 as hene take such statements as “#t #s ra#n#ng' or “the 4mer#cans% h#le say#ng that all men areendoed (y the#r ,reator #th certa#n unal#ena(le r#ghts% #nclud#ng l#(erty% hold sla3es' or “another ar m#ght ell sread the #deals of the French &e3olut#on% #thout endanger#ng the future ofc#3#l#<at#on/' The same cons#derat#on al#es to many a general#<at#on a(out a nat#on and a(outar/

Hegel d#d not (el#e3e that such roos#t#ons as “to lus to euals four' ere true at one t#me(ut not at another. he thought that the truth comes to l#ght gradually and tr#ed to sho th#s #n h#s#oneer#ng lectures on the h#story of h#losohy/ He emhas#<ed not ho utterly rong h#sredecessors had (een (ut ho much truth they had seen. yet $lato0s and S#no<a0s truths erenot “all of the truth' (ut ere #n need of su(seuent ual#f#cat#on and amendment/

Hegel0s aroach #s not amoral/ 4lthough he f#nds the a#m of h#story #n #ts “result' @/ ?D> B andcons#ders the h#story of the orld the orld0s court of 8ust#ce @/ ?AA and n/% 11B% he does not#dol#<e success/ H#s att#tude deends on h#s rel#g#ous fa#th that #n the long run% somehere%someho freedom #ll and must tr#umh: that #s Hegel0s “h#stor#c#sm/' Those of us ho lack h#sconf#dence should st#ll note that he does not (el#e3e that th#ngs are good (ecause they succeed%

(ut that they succeed (ecause they are good/ He f#nds 2od0s re3elat#on #n h#story/

Th#s o#nt #s (est #llustrated (y Hegel0s olem#c aga#nst Pon Haller #n the $h#losohy of &#ght@?5*B/ Throughout% he tr#es to a3o#d the Scylla of that re3olut#onary lalessness that heassoc#ates #th Fr#es and the Wart(urg fest#3al and the ,hary(d#s of conser3at#3e lalessnessthat he f#nds #n Pon Haller0s &estaurat#on der Staats#ssenschaft/ He c#tes Pon Haller @I % A? ff/B:“4s #n the #norgan#c orld the greater reresses the smaller% and the m#ghty% the eak% etc/% thusamong the an#mals% too% and then among human (e#ngs% the same la recurs #n no(ler forms/'

4nd Hegel #nteroses: “$erhas freuently also #n #gno(le forms' He then uotes Pon Halleraga#n: “Th#s #s thus the eternal% #mmuta(le order of 2od% that the m#ght#er rules% must rule% andalays #ll rule/' 4nd Hegel comments: “;ne sees from th#s alone% and also from hat follos% #nhat sense m#ght #s soken of here: not the m#ght of the moral and eth#cal% (ut the acc#dentalforce of nature/'

$oer uotes Hegel: “4 eole can only d#e a 3#olent death hen #t has (ecome naturally dead#n #tself' @/ ?DA B. and Hegel cont#nues% “as e/g/ the 2erman Imer#al ,#t#es% the 2erman Imer#al,onst#tut#on' @n/ -- B/ 4l#ed to the collase of the Holy &oman !m#re #n 1*>D% Hegel0s remarkmakes sense% h#le h#s (old general#<at#on #n3#tes cr#t#c#sm/ )ut one should take #nto account thatHegel #s #n agreement #th a rel#g#ous trad#t#on that e"tends from Isa#ah to Toyn(ee/

Intent on d#ssoc#at#ng Hegel from th#s rel#g#ous trad#t#on and on assoc#at#ng h#m #th the a<#s#nstead% $oer fastens on Hegel0s concet#on of orld+h#stor#cal eoles/ He uotes @/ ?5*BHegel0s !ncycloaed#a @55>B as say#ng that “the S#r#t of the T#me #n3ests #ts W#ll' #n “the self+consc#ousness of a art#cular at#on' that “dom#nates the World/' Th#s ould seem to (e another#nstance here $oer #mro3ed a translat#on #thout check#ng the or#g#nal @cf/ sect#on 5 a(o3eB/The assage #n the !ncycloaed#a reads: “The self+consc#ousness of a art#cular eole #s the

carr#er of the current stage of de3eloment of the un#3ersal s#r#t as #t #s resent% and the o(8ect#3eactual#ty #nto h#ch th#s s#r#t lays #ts #ll/' In Scr#(ner0s Hegel Select#ons% th#s (ecomes “/// #nh#ch that s#r#t for a t#me #n3ests #ts #ll/' 4nd #n $oer% f#nally% e suddenly encounter “theS#r#t of the T#me/' H#s rofuse ca#tal#<at#on of nouns #n h#s uotat#ons from Hegel #s aarently#ntended to make Hegel look s#lly/

Hegel goes on to say% though $oer does not uote th#s% that the s#r#t “stes onard' and“del#3ers #t o3er to #ts chance and doom/' H#s os#t#on deends on h#s assumt#on that ult#matereal#ty #s s#r#tual and that the s#r#t re3eals #tself rogress#3ely #n h#story/ The stages of th#sre3elat#on are reresented (y d#fferent eoles% (ut (y only one eole at any one t#me/



Th#s strange not#on as adated (y Stefan 2eorge and% #th the #nd#3#dual rohet #n the lace of a hole eole% (ecame art of the creed of h#s ,#rcle:

In 8eder eeIst nur e#m gott und e#ner nur se#n kOnder/

Th#s #dea that “#n e3ery eoch% there #s (ut one god% and (ut one h#s rohet' #s e3en moreo(3#ously false than Hegel0s 3#e. and #t #s dou(ly #ron#cal (ecause% e3en #n the relat#3ely smallf#eld of 2erman oetry% 2eorge as no sol#tary g#ant (ut as ecl#sed (y h#s contemorary% &#lke/

Hegel0s not#on as surely suggested to h#m (y the ay #n h#ch the &omans succeeded the2reeks 6 and erhas also the 2reeks% the $ers#ans. and the $ers#ans% the )a(ylon#ans/

Th#s eole #s the dom#nant one #n orld h#story for th#s eoch 6 and #t can (e eoch+mak#ng #nth#s sense only once/ 4ga#nst th#s a(solute r#ght h#ch #t has to (e the em(od#ment of the currentstage of de3eloment of the orld s#r#t% the s#r#ts of the other eoles ha3e no r#ght% and they%e3en as those hose eoch has assed% do not any longer count #n orld h#story/ ?J

4(o3e all% Hegel as ro(a(ly also #nfluenced (y the ,hr#st#an concet#on of the relat#on of

,hr#st#an#ty to e and 2reek/

Hegel0s concet#on #s dated today: e kno more than he d#d a(out the h#story of a great num(er of c#3#l#<at#ons/ We can no longer reduce orld h#story to a stra#ght l#ne that leads from the 2reeks3#a the &omans to oursel3es. nor can e d#sose of anc#ent 4s#a as “The ;r#ental &ealm' andunderstand #t s#mly as the (ackground of the 2reeks/ We are also aare of am(#gu#t#es #n theconcet#on of a Polk or nat#on and should not aly such terms to the carr#ers of 2reek or &omanc#3#l#<at#on/ We understand the floer#ng of med#e3al h#losohy #n terms of the #nteract#on ofes% Musl#ms% and ,hr#st#ans aga#nst a 2reek (ackground% and should not care to say ho #nthat eoch reresented the orld s#r#t/ Some of us ha3e e3en lost all (el#ef #n a orld s#r#t/

4ll th#s does not #mly that Hegel0s 3#es are #cked or that h#s (as#c error #s due to h#s allegednat#onal#sm or tr#(al#sm/ Toyn(ee0s concet#on of searate c#3#l#<at#ons #s oen to almost the same

o(8ect#ons/ @See chater 19% sect#on 5% (elo/B

W#th the e"cet#on of ent#rely #solated commun#t#es% no un#t can (e understood comletely #thoutreference to others/ )ut any un#t hate3er% hether #t (e Western c#3#l#<at#on% France% 4thens% orthe )url#ngton &a#lroad% can (e made the o(8ect of a h#stor#cal study/ In each #nstance% one #ll#ntroduce other un#ts as sar#ngly as oss#(le and only to thro l#ght on the h#story of the un#tunder cons#derat#on/

Hegel0s hole concet#on of “orld h#story' #s ar(#trary and amounts to an attemt to study thede3eloment of h#s on c#3#l#<at#on/ )ut here he as at one #th almost all of h#s contemorar#esand redecessors ho ere also under the #nfluence of the )#(le/ For #t #s from the )#(le that theWestern #dea that h#story has a s#ngle (eg#nn#ng and mo3es along a s#ngle track toard a s#nglegoal rece#3ed #ts #metus and sanct#on/ Today e are at to (e more agnost#c a(out the

(eg#nn#ng. e are (ound to deny the s#ngle track. (ut e may once aga#n th#nk #n another senseof the un#ty of orld h#story 6 a un#ty that #s esta(l#shed (y the resent confluence of h#therto#ndeendent streams/

Hegel as not #meded (y the recogn#t#on that some of the ancestors of h#s on c#3#l#<at#on hadmade the#r eoch+mak#ng contr#(ut#ons s#multaneously/ Homer may ha3e (een a contemorary of the earl#est rohets. Thales and erem#ah rote at the same t#me. and Sto#c#sm flour#shed h#le,hr#st#an#ty de3eloed out of uda#sm/ !lsehere% ,onfuc#us and the )uddha erecontemorar#es/ 4 lural#st#c ersect#3e #s needed% as #s more resect for #nd#3#dual un#ts/ There#s no s#ngle lan #nto h#ch all data can (e f#tted% and Hegel as certa#nly someth#ng of a



$rocrustes/

4ny attemt% hoe3er% to read #nto Hegel0s concet#on of “orld dom#nat#on' an e"clus#3elyol#t#cal or e3en m#l#tary sense #n order to l#nk h#m #th H#tler #s u#te #lleg#t#mate/ It #s dou(lym#slead#ng hen one does not emhas#<e that Hegel as not mak#ng red#ct#ons or offer#ngsuggest#ons for the future (ut as scruulously l#m#t#ng h#mself to an attemt to understand theast/ $edagog#cally% the s#ngle+track concet#on has the 3#rtue of s#ml#c#ty. and #t #s st#ll adotedalmost un#3ersally #n the f#eld of Hegel0s r#mary cometence 6 the h#story of h#losohy/1> 2reat men and eual#ty/

Hegel0s concet#on of orld+h#stor#cal eoles #s closely related to h#s not#on of orld+h#stor#calersonal#t#es/ )oth not#ons are 8ust#f#a(le u to a o#nt/ Some eoles ha3e had l#ttle effect onany(ody outs#de themsel3es% h#le the 2reeks and the es% for e"amle% ha3e affected theh#story of the orld out of all roort#on to the#r num(ers/ S#m#larly% Socrates and ,aesar m#ghtell (e called orld+h#stor#cal ersonal#t#es/

It #s the rankest emot#onal#sm hen $oer r#tes:

2lory cannot (e acu#red (y e3ery(ody. the rel#g#on of glory #ml#es ant#+eual#tar#an#sm 6 #t#ml#es a rel#g#on of “2reat Men/' Modern rac#al#sm accord#ngly “knos no eual#ty (eteen

souls% no eual#ty (eteen men' @ &osen(ergB/ Thus there are no o(stacles to adot#ng theEeader $r#nc#les from the arsenal of the erenn#al re3olt aga#nst freedom% or as Hegel calls #t%the #dea of the World H#stor#cal $ersonal#ty / ?DD f/J/

$oer #ml#es that e ought to (e “for' eual#tar#an#sm. (ut #f #t #n3ol3es the (el#ef that no mancan ach#e3e anyth#ng that cannot (e ach#e3ed (y e3ery(ody else% too% #t #s s#mly s#lly/ In anysense #n h#ch #t #s at all orth h#le% eual#tar#an#sm #s ent#rely comat#(le #th (el#ef #n greatmen/

4ccord#ng to $oer%

Hegel t#sts eual#ty #nto #neual#ty: “That the c#t#<ens are eual (efore the la%' Hegel adm#ts%“conta#ns a great truth/ )ut e"ressed #n th#s ay% #t #s only a tautology. #t only states #n general

that a legal status e"#sts% that the las rule/ )ut to (e more concrete% the c#t#<ens /// are eual(efore the la only #n the o#nts #n h#ch they are eual outs#de the la also/ ;nly that eual#tyh#ch they ossess #n roerty% age% /// etc/% can deser3e eual treatment (efore the la/// / Thelas themsel3es resuose uneual cond#t#ons/// / It should (e sa#d that #t #s 8ust the greatde3eloment and matur#ty of form #n modern states h#ch roduces the sureme concrete#neual#ty of #nd#3#duals #n actual#ty / ?A9 J/

The om#ss#ons #n the Hegel uotat#on are $oer0s% and $oer e"la#ns them #n the 3ery ne"tsentence:

In th#s outl#ne of Hegel0s t#st of the “great truth' of eual#tar#an#sm #nto #ts oos#te% I ha3erad#cally a((re3#ated h#s argument. and I must arn the reader that I shall ha3e to do the samethroughout the chater. for only #n th#s ay #s #t at all oss#(le to resent% #n a reada(le manner%

h#s 3er(os#ty and the fl#ght of h#s thoughts @h#ch% I do not dou(t% #s atholog#calB/

4 look at the !ncycloaed#a @5A9B shos that Hegel #s not “for' or “aga#nst' eual#ty (ut tr#es todeterm#ne #n hat sense #t can (e em(od#ed #n the modern state/

W#th the aearance of the State% #neual#ty enters. namely% the d#fference (eteen the go3ern#ngforces and the go3erned% author#t#es% mag#strates% d#rector#es% etc/ The r#nc#le of eual#ty%carr#ed out cons#stently% ould reud#ate all d#fferences and thus (e at odds #th any k#nd of state/

It #s #n the follo#ng d#scuss#on that e f#nd the sentence #tal#c#<ed (y $oer% and #t seems (est to



uote #t #thout om#ss#ons and #th Hegel0s% rather than $oer0s% #tal#cs:

;nly that eual#ty h#ch% #n hate3er ay% haens to e"#st #ndeendently% regard#ng ealth% age%hys#cal strength% talents% at#tude% etc/% or also cr#mes% etc/% can and should 8ust#fy an eualtreatment of these (efore the la 6 #n regard to ta"es% l#a(#l#ty to m#l#tary ser3#ce% adm#ss#on tou(l#c off#ce% etc/% or un#shment% etc/

Hegel0s sentence% though hardly elegant% #s carefully constructed and e"h#(#ts a cruc#alarallel#sm/ ;nly those #th eual ealth should (e ta"ed eually. age and hys#cal strengthshould (e taken #nto account (y draft (oards. talents and at#tudes are rele3ant ual#f#cat#ons foru(l#c ser3#ce. and so forth/ ;r should e ha3e eual un#shment for all% regardless of hetherthey ha3e comm#tted eual cr#mes Should e #nduct ch#ldren #nto the armed forces and e"acteual ta"es from the oor and the r#ch Is #t Hegel that #s gu#lty of a “t#stV

To return to “great men': Hegel sa#d% accord#ng to 2ans0s add#t#on to sect#on A1*: “$u(l#c o#n#onconta#ns e3eryth#ng false and e3eryth#ng true% and to f#nd hat #s true #n #t #s the g#ft of the greatman/ Whoe3er tells h#s age% and accoml#shes% hat h#s age ants and e"resses% #s the greatman of h#s age/' @$oer0s “translat#on' of th#s assage / ?D- J makes nonsense of #t: “In u(l#co#n#on all #s false and true/// /'B Hegel0s assage ends% #n $oer0s translat#on: “He ho does notunderstand ho to des#se u(l#c o#n#on% as #t makes #tself heard here and there% #ll ne3er

accoml#sh anyth#ng great/' $oer0s #tal#cs as ell as h#s comments aeal to the reader0sre8ud#ce #n fa3or of the suremacy of u(l#c o#n#on% though he re3#ously aealed to there8ud#ce #n fa3or of the suremacy of consc#ence/ These to standards% hoe3er% are 3eryd#fferent. and Hegel recogn#<ed the fall#(#l#ty of (oth (ecause he d#d not (el#e3e% as $oeralleges @/ ?A- B% that “self+e3#dence #s the same as truth/' Hegel argued% #n the (ody of sect#onA1*% that “to (e #ndeendent of u(l#c o#n#onJ #s the f#rst formal cond#t#on of anyth#ng great andrat#onal'. and he had the fa#th that u(l#c o#n#on “#ll e3entually accet #t% recogn#<e #t% and make#t one of #ts on re8ud#ces/'

In the a(o3e uotat#on from 2ans0s add#t#on% $oer f#nds an “e"cellent descr#t#on of the Eeaderas a u(l#c#st'. and s#nce he has #ntroduced #t #th a reference to “the Eeader r#nc#le%' one #s ledto th#nk of the FOhrer and to cons#der Hegel a roto+a<#/ The uotat#on% hoe3er% #s not at odds#th a s#ncere (el#ef #n democracy and f#ts (eaut#fully not only Frankl#n C/ &oose3elt0s

“#nter3ent#on#sm' (ut also E#ncoln0s great seeches. for e"amle% “4 house d#3#ded aga#nst #tselfcannot stand' or “W#th mal#ce toard none. #th char#ty for all/' 4nd #t #s true of E#ncoln% too% henHegel says of the orld+h#stor#cal ersonal#t#es% “They ere ract#cal% ol#t#cal men/ )ut at thesame t#me they ere th#nk#ng men% ho had an #ns#ght #nto the reu#rements of the t#me 6 #ntohat as r#e for de3eloment/'

Hegel found that orld+h#stor#cal #nd#3#duals are alays roelled (y some ass#on @“oth#ng2reat #n the World has (een accoml#shed #thout ass#on'B and that the#r mot#3at#on #s rarelyent#rely d#s#nterested/ The latter o#nt he e"ressed #n terms of “the cunn#ng of reason/' The#nd#3#dual may (e mot#3ated not only (y rofound #ns#ghts (ut also (y “r#3ate #nterests' and e3en“self+seek#ng des#gns/' 4le"ander as ass#onately am(#t#ous. (ut #n the long run h#s r#3ate#nterests furthered Western c#3#l#<at#on/ The same cons#derat#on al#es to ,aesar and to Frankl#nC/ &oose3elt. #n The 4mer#can $ol#t#cal Trad#t#on% &#chard Hofstadter has shon ho E#ncoln% too%

as f#red (y ol#t#cal am(#t#ons unt#l he as elected res#dent/

$oer l#nks Hegel #th “the fasc#st aeal to human nature0 h#chJ #s to our ass#ons' androoses that e call th#s aeal the “cunn#ng of the re3olt aga#nst reason' @/ ?D* B/ et heh#mself e3#dently (el#e3es that aoleon% hose mot#3at#on as hardly ent#rely d#s#nterested andhose methods could scarcely (e aro3ed (y a de3otee of “the oen soc#ety%' as further#ngWestern c#3#l#<at#on to such an e"tent that the 2erman ur#s#ng aga#nst h#m must (e la(eled “oneof these ty#cal tr#(al react#ons aga#nst the e"ans#on of a suer+nat#onal em#re' @/ ?5> B/11 War/



lack#ng #n $russ#a/ )ut aarently Hegel d#d not (el#e3e that $russ#a% or !uroe% had any realfuture: “When h#losohy a#nts #ts grey on grey% a form of l#fe has gron old% and #th grey ongrey #t cannot (e re8u3enated% (ut only comrehended/ The ol of M#ner3a (eg#ns #ts fl#ght only atdusk/'1? at#onal#sm/

;n th#s o#nt $oer0s account #s art#cularly confused/ “When nat#onal#sm as re3#3ed ahundred years ago a(out 1*5>J% #t as #n one of the most m#"ed reg#ons of !uroe% #n 2ermany%and esec#ally #n $russ#a' @/ ?5 B/ 4 age later% e hear of “the #n3as#on of 2erman lands (y thef#rst nat#onal army% the French army under aoleon/' Three ages later e are told that F#chte0s“#nd(aggery' ga3e “r#se to modern nat#onal#sm/' F#chte d#ed #n 1*1/ ,ontemtuous of theconcet of nat#onal#ty% $oer ma#nta#ns that #t #s a common (el#ef #n democracy% “h#ch forms%one m#ght say% the un#t#ng factor of mult#l#ngual S#t<erland' @/ ?D B/ Why% then% ha3e the S#ssno #sh to un#te #th any democrat#c ne#gh(or $oer0s oos#t#on to many features of modernnat#onal#sm #s ell taken. (ut those ho are #nterested #n #ts de3eloment% or ho #sh tounderstand #t% #ll do (etter to turn to Hans Kohn0s The Idea of at#onal#sm @ 19B and to h#schater on “at#onal#sm and the ;en Soc#ety' #n The Tent#eth ,entury @ 199B/

;ne of the ma8or themes of $oer0s Hegel chater #s that “Hegel#an#sm #s the rena#ssance oftr#(al#sm' @/ ??D B/ $oer0s use of “tr#(al#sm' and “nat#onal#sm' #s emot#onal rather than rec#se%

and he accuses Hegel of (oth/ !3en so he must adm#t that Hegel “somet#mes attacked thenat#onal#sts' @/ ?51B/ $oer c#tes Hegel0s !ncycloaed#a here the so+called nat#on #scondemned as ra((le:

and #th regard to #t% #t #s the one a#m of a state that a nat#on should not come #nto e"#stence% tooer and act#on% as such an aggregate/ Such a cond#t#on of a nat#on #s a cond#t#on oflalessness% demoral#<at#on% (rut#shness/ In #t% the nat#on ould only (e a shaeless #ld (l#ndforce% l#ke that of a stormy elemental sea% h#ch hoe3er #s not self+destruct#3e% as the nat#on 6 as#r#tual element 6 ould (e/

The a<#s concluded u#te correctly that Hegel as unaltera(ly oosed to the#r concet#on ofthe Polk and that h#s #dea of the State as #ts 3ery ant#thes#s/ 5J

$oer% on the other hand% #s so #ntent on oos#ng Hegel that he #mmed#ately seeks to enl#st thereader0s symath#es on the nat#onal#st s#de hen he f#nds Hegel cr#t#c#<#ng #t/ Thus $oer #s notcontent to o#nt out% u#te correctly% that Hegel #s referr#ng “to the l#(eral nat#onal#sts' (ut mustadd% “hom the k#ng hated l#ke the lague/' Hegel0s att#tude% of course% cannot (e understood orreasona(ly e3aluated #n terms of the emot#onal #mact of such ords as “l#(eral' and “k#ng/' What#s anted #s a rof#le of the mo3ement condemned (y Hegel. and that may (e found #n Her(ertMarcuse0s &eason and &e3olut#on @/ 1-9 f/B:

There as much talk of freedom and eual#ty% (ut #t as a freedom that ould (e the 3estedr#3#lege of the Teuton#c race alone/// / Hatred of the French ent along #th hatred of the es%,athol#cs% and “no(les/' The mo3ement cr#ed for a truly “2erman ar%' so that 2ermany m#ghtunfold “the a(undant ealth of her nat#onal#ty/' It demanded a “sa3#or' to ach#e3e 2erman un#ty%one to hom “the eole #ll forg#3e all s#ns/' It (urned (ooks and yelled oe to the es/ It

(el#e3ed #tself a(o3e the la and the const#tut#on (ecause “there #s no la to the 8ust cause/' Thestate as to (e (u#lt from “(elo%' through the sheer enthus#asm of the masses% and the “natural'un#ty of the Polk as to suersede the strat#f#ed order of state and soc#ety/ It #s not d#ff#cult torecogn#<e #n these “democrat#c' slogans the #deology of the Fasc#st Polksgeme#nschaft/ There #s%#n o#nt of fact% a much closer relat#on (eteen the h#stor#cal role of the )urschenschaften% #ththe#r rac#sm and ant#+rat#onal#sm% and at#onal Soc#al#sm% than there #s (eteen Hegel0s os#t#onand the latter/ Hegel rote h#s $h#losohy of &#ght as a defense of the state aga#nst th#s seudo+democrat#c #deology/

The “l#(eral' Fr#es called for the e"term#nat#on of ery @sect#on 5 a(o3eB% h#le Hegel denounced



s#te of th#s% I s#ngle out /// th#sJ ork #n order to charge #t #th #rrat#onal#ty% #s that only hen esee the effects of th#s o#son #n a ork of such mer#t do e fully arec#ate #ts danger / A5 f/J/otes

1/ C#e Pernunft #n der 2esch#chte% ed/ Easson% / 9?. &eason #n H#story% transl/ Hartman% / 51/

?/ $h#losohy of &#ght% A-/

A/ Werke% ed/ 2lockner% ZIP% A5 f/

/ I(#d/% ZI% 1?* f/

5/ ,f/% e/g/% &osen(erg0s Mythus% / 5?-/

D/ 4 Study of Hegel0s Eog#c% / AD>/

HegelLs ,r#t#cs [ Hegel+(y+HyerTe"t

Walter Kauffman - The Hegel Myth

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Transcript of Walter Kauffman - The Hegel Myth