they receive no honour or thanks either from their contemporaries （see § 344） or
from public opinion in later ages。 All that is vouchsafed to them by such opinion
is undying fame in respect of the subjective form of their acts。
§ 349。
A nation does not begin by being a state。 The transition from a family； a horde； a
clan； a multitude； &c。； to political conditions is the realisation of the Idea in the
form of that nation。 Without this form； a nation； as — an ethical substance —
which is what it is implicitly； lacks the objectivity of possessing in its own eyes
and in the eyes of others； a universal and universally valid embodiment in laws；
i。e。 in determinate thoughts； and as a result it fails to secure recognition from
others。 So long as it lacks objective law and an explicitly established rational
constitution； its autonomy is formal only and is not sovereignty。
Remark： It would be contrary even to commonplace ideas to call patriarchal conditions a
'constitution' or a people under patriarchal government a state 'or its independence' sovereignty'。
Hence； before history actually begins； we have on the one hand dull innocence； devoid of interest；
and； on the other； the courage of revenge and of the struggle for formal recognition （see § 331
and Remark to § 57）
§ 350。
It is the absolute right of the Idea to step into existence in clear…cut laws and
objective institutions； beginning with marriage and agriculture （see Remark to §
203）； whether this right be actualised in the form of divine legislation and favour；
or in the form of force and wrong。 This right is the right of heroes to found states。
§ 351。
The same consideration justifies civilised nations in regarding and treating as
barbarians those who lag behind them in institutions which are the essential
moments of the state。 Thus a pastoral people may treat hunters as barbarians； and
both of these are barbarians from the point of view of agriculturists； &c。 The
civilised nation is conscious that the rights of barbarians are unequal to its own
and treats their autonomy as only a formality。
Remark： When wars and disputes arise in such circumstances； the trait which gives them a
significance for world history is the fact that they am struggles for recognition in connection with
something of specific intrinsic worth。
§ 352。
The concrete Ideas； the minds of the nations； have their truth and their destiny in
the concrete Idea which is absolute universality； i。e。 in the world mind。 Around its
throne they stand as the executors of its actualisation and as signs and ornaments
of its grandeur。 As mind； it is nothing but its active movement towards absolute
knowledge of itself and therefore towards freeing its consciousness from the form
of natural immediacy and so coming to itself。 Therefore the principles of the
formations of this self…consciousness in the course of its liberation … the
world…historical realms … are four in number。
§ 353。
In its first and immediate revelation； mind has as its principle the shape of the
substantial mind； i。e。 the shape of the identity in which individuality is absorbed in
its essence and its claims are not explicitly recognised。
The second principle is this substantial mind endowed with knowledge so that
mind is both the positive content and filling of mind and also the individual
self…awareness which is the living form of mind。 This principle is ethical
individuality as beauty。
The third principle is the inward deepening of this individual self…awareness and
knowledge until it reaches abstract universality and therefore infinite opposition to
the objective world which in the same process has become mind…forsaken。
The principle of the fourth formation is the conversion of this opposition so that
mind receives in its inner life its truth and concrete essence； while in objectivity it
is at home and reconciled with itself。 The mind which has thus reverted to the
substantiality with which it began is the mind which has returned out of the
infinite opposition； and which consequently engenders and knows this its truth as
thought and as a world of actual laws。
§ 354。
In accordance with these four principles； the world…historical realms are the
following： （1） the Oriental； （2） the Greek； （3） the Roman； （4） the Germanic。
§ 355。
（1） The Oriental realm。
The world…view of this first realm is substantial； without inward division； and it
arises in natural communities patriarchically governed。 According to this view； the
mundane form of government is theocratic； the ruler is also a high priest or God
himself； constitution and legislation are at the same time religion； while religious
and moral commands； or usages rather； are at the same time natural and positive
law。 In the magnificence of this r6gime as a whole； individual personality loses its
rights and perishes； the external world of nature is either directly divine or else
God's ornament； and the history of the actual is poetry。 Distinctions are
developed in customs； government； and state on their many sides； and in default
of laws and amidst the simplicity of manners； they become unwieldy； diffuse； and
superstitious ceremonies； the accidents of personal power and arbitrary rule； and
class differences become crystallised into hereditary castes。 Hence in the Oriental
state nothing is fixed； and what is stable is fossilised； it lives therefore only in an
outward movement which becomes in the end an elemental fury and desolation。
Its inner calm is merely the calm of non…political life and immersion in feebleness
and exhaustion。
Remark： A still substantial； natural； mentality is a moment in the development of the state； and
the point at which any state takes this form is the absolute beginning of its history。 This has been
emphasised and demonstrated with learning and profound insight in connection with the history of
particular states by Dr。 Stuhr in his book Der Untergang。 der Naturstaaten … work in which he
leads the way to a rational treatment of constitutional history and of history generally。 The principle
of subjectivity and self…conscious freedom is there too shown to be the principle of the Germanic
people； but the book goes no further than the decline of natural states； and consequently the
principle is only brought to the point where it appears either as a restless mobility； as human
caprice and corruption； or in its particular form as emotion； and where it has not yet developed to
the objectivity of the self…conscious substantiality or to an organised legal system。
§ 356。
（2） The Greek realm。
This realm possesses this substantial unity of finite and infinite； but only as a
mysterious background； suppressed in dim recesses of the memory； in caves and
traditional imagery。 This background； reborn out of the mind which differentiates
itself to individual mentality； emerges into the daylight of knowing and is
tempered and transfigured into beauty and a free and unruffled ethical life。 Hence
it is in a world of this character that the principle of personal individuality arises；
though it is still not self…enclosed but kept in its ideal unity。 The result is that the
whole is divided into a group of particular national minds； ultimate decision is
ascribed not to the subjectivity of explicitly independent self…consciousness but to
a power standing above and outside it （see Remark to § 279）； on the other hand；
the due satisfaction of particular needs is not yet comprised in the sphere of
freedom but is relegated exclusively to a class of slaves。
§ 357。
（3） The Roman realm。
In this realm； differentiation is carried to its conclusion； and ethical life is
sundered without end into the extremes of the private self…consciousness of
persons on the one hand； and abstract universality on the other。 This opposition
begins in the clash between the substantial intuition of an aristocracy and the
principle of free personality in democratic form。 As the opposition grows； the first
of these opponents develops into superstition and the maintenance of heartless
self…seeking power； while the second becomes more and more corrupt until it
sinks into a rabble。 Finally； the whole is dissolved and the result is universal
misfortune and the destruction of ethical life。 National heroes die away into the
unity of a Pantheon； all individuals are degraded to the level of private persons
equal with one another； possessed of formal rights； and the only bond left to hold
them together is abstract insatiable self…will。
§ 358。
（4） The Germanic realm。
Mind and its world are thus both alike lost and plunged in the infinite grief of that
fate for which a people； the Jewish people； was held in readiness。 Mind is here
pressed back upon itself