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component spiritual factors into which the whole is differentiated； are effaced and annulled； the
individual consciousness that belonged to any such group and exercised its will and found its
fulfilment there； has removed the barriers confining it； its purpose is the universal purpose； its
language universal law； its work universal achievement。
The object and the element distinguished have here lost the meaning of utility； which was a
predicate of all real being； consciousness does not commence its process with the object as a sort
of alien element after dealing with which it then and only then returns into itself ； the object is for it
consciousness itself。 The opposition thus consists solely in the distinction of individual and universal
consciousness。 But the individual itself is directly on its own view that which had merely the
semblance of opposition； it is universal consciousness and will。 The remote beyond that lies remote
from this its actual reality； hovers over the corpse of the vanished independence of what is real or
believed to be； and hovers there merely as an exhalation of stale gas； of the empty être suprême。
By doing； away with the various distinct spiritual spheres； and the restricted and confined life of
individuals； as well as both its worlds； there thus remains merely the process of the universal
self…consciousness within itselfa process which consists in a reciprocal interaction between its
universal form and personal consciousness。 The universal will goes into itself； is subjectivized； and
becomes individual will； to which the universal law and universal work stand opposed。 But this
individual consciousness is equally and immediately conscious of itself as universal will； it is fully
aware that its object is a law given by that will； a work performed by that will； in exercising and
carrying out its activity； in creating objectivity； it is thus doing nothing individual； but executing laws
and functions of the state。
This process is consequently the interaction of consciousness with itself； in which it lets nothing
break away and assume the shape of a detached object standing over against it。 It follows from
this； that it cannot arrive at a positive accomplishment of anything； either in the way of universal
works of language or of those of actual reality； either in the shape of laws and universal regulations
of conscious freedom； or of deeds and works of active freedom。
The accomplished result at which this freedom； that gives itself consciousness； might manage to
arrive； would consist in the fact that such freedom qua universal substance made itself into an
object and an abiding existence。 This objective otherness would there be the differentiation which
enabled it to divide itself into stable spiritual spheres and into the members of distinct powers。
These spheres would partly be the thought…constituted factors of a power that is differentiated into
legislative； judicial and executive； but partly they would be the substantial elements we found in the
real world of spiritual culture； and； since the content of universal action would be more closely
taken note of； they would be the particular spheres of labour； which are further distinguished as
more specific 〃estates〃 or social ranks。 Universal freedom； which would have differentiated itself in
this manner into its various parts； and by the very fact of doing so would have made itself an
existing substance； would thereby be free from particular individualities； and could apportion the
plurality of individuals to its several organic parts。
The activity and being of personality would； however； find itself by this process confined to a
branch of the whole； to one kind of action and existence； when placed in the element of existence；
personality would bear the meaning of a determinate personality； it would cease to be in reality
universal self…consciousness。 Neither by the idea of submission to self…imposed laws； which would
assign to it only a part of the whole work； nor by its being represented when legislation and
universal action take place； does self…consciousness here let itself be cheated out of the actual
realitythe fact that itself lays down the law and itself accomplishes a universal and not a
particular task。 For in the case where the self is merely represented and ideally presented
（vorgestellt）； there it is not actual： where it is by proxy； it is not。（2）
Just as the individual self…consciousness does not find itself in this universal work of absolute
freedom qua existing substance； as little does it find itself in the deeds proper； and specific
individual acts of will； performed by this substance。 For the universal to pass into a deed； it must
gather itself into the single unity of individuality； and put an individual consciousness in the
forefront； for universal will is an actual concrete will only in a self that is single and one。 Thereby；
however； all other individuals are excluded from the entirety of this deed； and have only a
restricted share in it； so that the deed would not be a deed of real universal self…consciousness。
Universal freedom can thus produce neither a positive achievement nor a deed； there is left for it
only negative action； it is merely the rage and fury of destruction。
But the highest reality of all and the reality most of all opposed to absolute freedom； or rather the
sole object it is yet to become aware of； is the freedom and singleness of actual self…consciousness
itself。 For that universality which does not let itself attain the reality of organic articulation； and
whose purpose is to maintain itself in unbroken continuity； distinguishes itself within itself all the
while； because it is process or consciousness in general。 Moreover； on account of its own peculiar
abstraction； it divides itself into extremes equally abstract； into the cold unbending bare
universality； and the hard discrete absolute rigidity and stubborn atomic singleness of actual
self…consciousness。 Now that it is done with destroying the organization of the actual world； and
subsists in isolated singleness； this is its sole object； an object that has no other content left； no
other possession； existence and external extension； but is merely this knowledge of itself as
absolutely pure and free individual self。 The point at which this object can be laid hold of is solely
its abstract existence in general。
The relation； then； of these two； since they exist for themselves indivisibly and absolutely and thus
cannot arrange for a common part to act as a means for connecting them； is pure negation entirely
devoid of mediation； the negation； moreover； of the individual as a factor existing within the
universal。 The sole and only work and deed accomplished by universal freedom is therefore
deatha death that achieves nothing； embraces nothing within its grasp； for what is negated is the
unachieved； unfulfilled punctual entity of the absolutely free self。 It is thus the most cold…blooded
and meaningless death of all； with no more significance than cleaving a head of cabbage or
swallowing a draught of water。
In this single expressionless syllable consists the wisdom of