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dead this dishonouring of him by the desires of unconscious organic agencies and by abstract
elements； puts its own action in place of theirs； and weds the relative to the bosom of the earth； the
elemental individuality that passes not away。 Thereby the family makes the dead a member of a
community（2） which prevails over and holds under control the powers of the particular material
elements and the lower living creatures； which sought to have their way with the dead and destroy
him。
（c） The Claims of the Individual
This last duty thus accomplishes the complete Divine Law； or constitutes the positive ethical act
towards the given individual。 Every other relation towards him which does not remain at the level
of love； but is ethical； belongs to human law； and has the negative significance of lifting the
individual above the confinement within the natural community to which he belongs as a concrete
individual。 But； now； though human right has for its content and power the actual ethical substance
consciously aware of itself； the entire nation； while divine right and law derive theirs from the
particular individual who is beyond the actual； yet he is still not without power。 His power lies in
the abstract pure universal； the elemental individual； which seizes upon the individuality that cuts
itself loose from the element and constitutes the self…conscious reality of the nation； and draws it
back into the pure abstraction which is its essential nature： draws it back just as that essence is its
ultimate ground and source。 How this power is made explicit in the nation itself will come out more
fully as we proceed。
2。 The Process involved in these Two Laws
Now in the one law as in the other there are differences and stages。 For since these laws involve
the element of consciousness in both cases； distinction is developed within themselves： and this is
just what constitutes the peculiar process of their life。 The consideration of these differences brings
out the way they operate； and the kind of self…consciousness at work in both the universal essential
principles （Wesen） of the ethical world； as also their connexion and transition into one another。
（a） Government as Positive Power； War as Negative
The community； the upper law whose validity is open to the light of day； has its concrete vitality in
Government； for in government it is an individual whole。 Government is concrete actual spirit
reflected into itself； the self pure and simple of the entire ethical substance。 This simple force
allows； indeed； the community to unfold and expand into its component members； and to give
each part subsistence and self…existence of its own （Fürsichseyn）。 Spirit finds in this way its
realization or its objective existence； and the family is the medium in which this realization takes
effect。 But spirit is at the same time the force of the whole； combining these parts again within the
unity which negates them； giving them the feeling of their want of independence； and keeping them
aware that their life only lies in the whole。 The community may thus； on the one hand； organize
itself into the systems of property and of personal independence； of personal right and right in
things； and； on the other hand； articulate the various ways of working for what in the first instance
are particular endsthose of gain and enjoymentinto their own special guilds and associations；
and may thus make them independent。 The spirit of universal assemblage and association is the
single and simple principle； and the negative essential factor at work in the segregation and
isolation of these systems。 In order not to let them get rooted and settled in this isolation and thus
break up the whole into fragments and let the common spirit evaporate； government has from time
to time to shake them to the very centre by War。 By this means it confounds the order that has
been established and arranged； and violates their right to independence； while the individuals （who；
being absorbed therein； get adrift from the whole； striving after inviolable self…existence
（Fürsichseyn） and personal security）； are made； by the task thus imposed on them by
government； to feel the power of their lord and master； death。 By thus breaking up the form of
fixed stability； spirit guards the ethical order from sinking into merely natural existence； preserves
the self of which it is conscious； and raises that self to the level of freedom and its own powers。
The negative essential being shows itself to be the might proper of the community and the force it
has for self…maintenance。 The community therefore finds the true principle and corroboration of its
power in the inner nature of divine law； and in the kingdom of the nether world。
The divine law which holds sway in the family has also on its side distinctions within itself； the
relations among which make up the living process of its realization。 Amongst the three
relationships； however； of husband and wife； parents and children； brothers and sisters； the
relationship of husband and wife is to begin with the primary and immediate form in which one
consciousness recognizes itself in another； and in which each knows that reciprocal recognition。
Being natural self…knowledge； knowledge of self on the basis of nature and not on that of ethical
life； it merely represents and typifies in a figure the life of spirit； and is not spirit itself actually
realized。 Figurative representation； however； has its reality in an other than it is。 This relationship；
therefore； finds itself realized not in itself as such； but in the childan other； in whose coming into
being that relationship consists； and with which it passes away。 And this change from one
generation onwards to another is permanent in and as the life of a nation。
The reverent devotion （Piet？t） of husband and wife towards one another is thus mixed up with a
natural relation and with feeling； and their relationship is not inherently self…complete； similarly； too；
the second relationship； the reverent devotion of parents and children to one another。 The
devotion of parents towards their children is affected with emotion just by their being consciously
realized in what is external to themselves （viz。 the children）； and by their seeing them become
something on their own account without this returning to the parents； independent existence on the
part of the children remains a foreign reality； a reality all their own。 The devotion of children；again；
towards their parents is conversely affected by their coming into being from； or having their
essential nature in； what is external to themselves （viz。 the parents） and passes away； and by their
attaining independent existence and a self…consciousness of their own solely through separation
from the source whence they camea separation in which the spring gets exhausted。
Both these relationships are constituted by and hold within the transience and the dissimilarity of
the two sides； which are assigned to them。
（b） The Ethical Relation od Man and Woman as Brother and Sister
An unmixed intransitive form of relat