小说园

第12部分（第2页）

Persia；　and　Herodotus　gives　an　equally　naive　account　of　this　deliberation。

§　47

In　the　present　day；　the　Constitution　of　a　country　and　people　is　not　represented　as　so　entirely

dependent　on　free　and　deliberate　choice。　The　fundamental　but　abstractly　（and　therefore

imperfectly）　entertained　conception　of　Freedom；　has　resulted　in　the　Republic　being　very　generally

regarded　…　in　theory　…　as　the　only　just　and　true　political　constitution。　Many　even；　who　occupy

elevated　official　positions　under　monarchical　constitutions　…　so　far　from　being　opposed　to　this　idea

…　are　actually　its　supporters；　only　they　see　that　such　a　constitution；　though　the　best；　cannot　be

realised　under　all　circumstances；　and　that　…　while　men　are　what　they　are　…　we　must　be　satisfied

with　less　freedom；　the　monarchical　constitution　…　under　the　given　circumstances；　and　the　present

moral　condition　of　the　people　…　being　even　regarded　as　the　most　advantageous。　In　this　view　also；

the　necessity　of　a　particular　constitution　is　made　to　depend　on　the　condition　of　the　people　in　such　a

way　as　if　the　latter　were　non…essential　and　accidental。　This　representation　is　founded　on　the

distinction　which　the　reflective　understanding　makes　between　an　idea　and　the　corresponding

reality；　holding　to　an　abstract　and　consequently　untrue　idea；　not　grasping　it　in　its　pleteness；　or　…

which　is　virtually；　though　not　in　point　of　form；　the　same　…　not　taking　a　concrete　view　of　a　people

and　a　state。　We　shall　have　to　show　further　on　that　the　constitution　adopted　by　a　people　makes　one

substance　…　one　spirit　…　with　its　religion；　its　art　and　philosophy；　or；　at　least；　with　its　conceptions　and

thoughts　…　its　culture　generally；　not　to　expatiate　upon　the　additional　influences；　ab　extra；　of

climate；　of　neighbours；　of　its　place　in　the　world。　A　State　is　an　individual　totality；　of　which　you

cannot　select　any　particular　side；　although　a　supremely　important　one；　such　as　its　political

constitution；　and　deliberate　and　decide　respecting　it　in　that　isolated　form。　Not　only　is　that

constitution　most　intimately　connected　with　and　dependent　on　those　other　spiritual　forces；　but　the

form　of　the　entire　moral　and　intellectual　individuality　…　prising　all　the　forces　it　embodies　…　is

only　a　step　in　the　development　of　the　grand　Whole；　…　with　its　place　pre…appointed　in　the　process：　a

fact　which　gives　the　highest　sanction　to　the　constitution　in　question；　and　establishes　its　absolute

necessity。　…The　origin　of　a　State　involves　imperious　lordship　on　the　one　hand；　instinctive

submission　on　the　other。　But　even　obedience　…　lordly　power；　and　the　fear　inspired　by　a　ruler　…　in

itself　implies　some　degree　of　voluntary　connection。　Even　in　barbarous　states　this　is　the　case；　it　is

not　the　isolated　will　of　individuals　that　prevails；　individual　pretensions　are　relinquished；　and　the

general　will　is　the　essential　bond　of　political　union。　This　unity　of　the　general　and　the　particular　is　the

Idea　itself；　manifesting　itself　as　a　State；　and　which　subsequently　undergoes　further　development

within　itself。　The　abstract　yet　necessitated　process　in　the　development　of　truly　independent　states　is

as　follows：　…　They　begin　with　regal　power；　whether　of　patriarchal　or　military　origin。　In　the　next

phase；　particularity　and　individuality　assert　themselves　in　the　form　of　Aristocracy　and　Democracy。

Lastly；　we　have　the　subjection　of　these　separate　interests　to　a　single　power；　but　which　can　be

absolutely　none　other　than　one　outside　of　which　those　spheres　have　an　independent　position；　viz。；

the　Monarchical。　Two　phases　of　royalty；　therefore；　must　be　distinguished；　…　a　primary　and　a

secondary　one。　This　process　is　necessitated；　so　that　the　form　of　government　assigned　to　a

particular　stage　of　development　must　present　itself：　it　is　therefore　no　matter　of　choice；　but　is　that