View
1
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
/ Rac
ean
dth
e]j
'nli
ghte
nmen
JA
Rea
der
/II
/stJ
14
33
/1'1
7 Cop
yrig
ht@
Bla
ckw
ell
Pub
lish
ers
Ltd
,19
97In
trod
ucti
on,n
otes
,sel
ecti
onan
dar
rang
emen
t@
Em
man
uelC
hukw
udiE
ze,
1997
Edi
ted
by
Fir
stpu
blis
hed
1997
Rep
rint
ed19
98
96-1
9640 CIP
All
righ
tsre
serv
ed.
Exc
eptf
orth
equ
otat
ion
ofs
hort
pass
ages
for
the
purp
oses
ofc
riti
cism
and
revi
ew,n
opa
rto
fthi
spu
blic
atio
nm
ayb
ere
prod
uced
,sto
red
ina
retr
ieva
lsy
stem
, or
tran
smit
ted,
inan
yfo
rmo
rby
any
mea
ns,e
lect
roni
c,m
echa
nica
l,ph
otoc
opyi
ng,r
ecor
ding
orot
herw
ise,
wit
hout
the
prio
rper
mis
sion
oft
hepu
blis
her.
Bla
ckw
ell
Publ
ishe
rsIn
c35
0M
ain
Str
eet
Mal
den,
Mas
sach
uset
ts02
148,
USA
Thi
sbo
okis
prin
ted
onac
id-f
ree
pape
r
Typ
eset
in10
.5on
12.5
ptM
erid
ien
byB
est-
setT
ypes
ette
rLtd
,Hon
gK
ong
Pri
nted
and
boun
din
Gre
atB
rita
inby
MP
GB
ooks
Ltd
,Bod
min
,Cor
nwal
l
Bla
ckw
ell
Pub
lish
ers
Ltd
108
Cow
ley
Roa
dO
xfor
dO
X4
UF
,UK
Bri
tish
Libr
ary
Cat
alog
uing
inP
ublic
atio
nD
ata
AC
IPcatalog~e
reco
rdfo
rth
isbo
okis
avai
labl
efr
omth
eB
riti
shL
ibra
ry
Exc
epti
nth
eU
nite
dS
tate
so
fAm
eric
a,th
isbo
okis
sold
subj
ectt
oth
eco
ndit
ion
that
itsh
all
not,
byw
ayo
ftra
deo
rot
herw
ise,
bele
nt,r
e-so
ld,h
ired
out,
or
othe
rwis
eci
rcul
ated
wit
hout
the
publ
ishe
r's
prio
rcon
sent
inan
yfo
rmo
fbin
ding
or
cove
roth
erth
anth
atin
whi
chit
ispu
blis
hed
and
wit
hout
asi
mil
arco
ndit
ion
incl
udin
gth
isco
ndit
ion
bein
gim
pose
don
the
subs
eque
ntpu
rcha
ser.
Libr
ary
o/C
ongr
essC
atal
ogin
gin
Pub
licat
ion
Dat
aR
ace
and
the
Enl
ight
erim
ent:
are
ader
/edi
ted
by
Em
man
ueIC
hukw
udiE
zep.
em.
Incl
udes
bibl
iogr
aphi
calr
efer
ence
san
din
dex.
ISB
N0
-63
1-2
01
36
-X4t
bk:a
lk.p
aper
)IS
BN
0-6
31
-20
13
7-8
pbk:
alk.
pape
r)1.
Rac
e-R
acis
m-H
isto
ry-1
8th
cent
ury.
2.E
nlig
hten
men
t.I.
Eze
,Em
man
uelC
hukw
udi.
'H
T15
07.R
3319
973
05
.8'0
09
'03
3-d
c20
Pu
bli
sh
ers
IIB
LAC
KW
ELL
Em
ma
nu
el
Ch
ukw
ud
iEze
~- , 'J,' .'
/Race and theE~nlightenmenJA Reader
)/1/stJ1jf.J3/117
Copyright <9 Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 1997Introduction, notes, selection and arrangement<9 Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, 1997
Edited by First published 1997Reprinted 1998
Emmanuel Chukwudi EzeBlackwell Publishers Inc350 Main StreetMalden, Massachusetts 02148, USA
Blackwell Publishers Ltd108 Cowley RoadOxford OX4 UF, UK
All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purposesofcriticismand review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, storedin a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permissionof the publisher.
Except in the United States ofAmerica, this book is sold subject to the conditionthat it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, orotherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of bindingor cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar conditionincluding this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
96-19640CIP
Typeset in 10.5 on 12.5ptMeridienby Best-set Typesetter Ltd, Hong KongPrinted and bound in Great Britainby MPG Books Ltd,Bodmin, Cornwall
British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA CIP catalog~e record for this book is available from the British Library
Library ofCongress Cataloging in Publication DataRace and the EnlighteJiment: a reader/edited by EmmanuelChukwudi Ezep. em.Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 0-631-20136-X 4lbk: alk. paper)ISBN 0-631-20137-8 4>bk: alk. paper)1. Race-Racism-History-18th century. 2. Enlightenment.I. Eze, Enynanuel Chukwudi. .HTl507.R33 1997305.8'009'033-dc20
Publishers13 BLACKWELL
This book is printed on acid-free paper
108
Geo
rges
Leop
old
CU
lIier
bour
s,th
eC
auca
sian
Hin
doos
and
the
Mon
goli
anC
hine
se?
As
for
us,
we
conf
ess
we
cann
otdi
scov
eran
ysu
ffic
ient
char
acte
ris
tics
inth
emfo
rth
atpu
rpos
e.A
reth
eP
apua
sN
egro
es,
whi
chm
ayfo
rmer
lyha
vest
raye
din
toth
eIn
dian
Oce
an?
We
poss
ess
neit
her
figu
res
nor
desc
ript
ions
suff
icie
ntly
prec
ise
toen
able
usto
answ
erth
isqu
esti
on.
The
nort
hern
inha
bita
nts
ofb
oth
cont
inen
ts,
the
Sam
oied
es,
the
Lap
land
ers,
and
the
Esq
uim
aux
spri
ng,
acco
rdin
gto
som
e,fr
omth
eM
ongo
lian
race
,w
hile
othe
rsas
sert
that
they
are
mer
ede
gene
rate
offs
ets
from
the
Scy
thia
nan
dT
arta
rbr
anch
ofth
eC
auca
sian
stoc
k..
.W
eha
veno
tyet
been
able
tore
fer
the
Am
eric
ans
toan
yof
the
race
sof
the
east
ern
cont
inen
t;st
ill,
they
have
nopr
ecis
en
or
cons
tant
char
acte
rw
hich
can
enti
tle
them
tobe
cons
ider
edas
apa
rtic
ular
one.
The
irco
pper
-col
oure
dco
mpl
exio
nis
no
tsu
ffi
cien
t;th
eir
gene
rall
ybl
ack
hair
and
scan
tybe
ard
wou
ldin
duce
usto
refe
rth
emto
the
Mon
gole
s,if
thei
rde
fine
dfe
atur
es,
proj
ecti
ngno
se,
larg
ean
dop
eney
e,di
dno
top
pose
such
ath
eory
,an
dco
rres
pond
wit
hth
efe
atur
eof
the
Eur
opea
n.T
heir
lang
uage
sar
eas
num
berl
ess
asth
eir
trib
es,
and
no
dem
onst
ra
tive
anal
ogy
has
asye
tbee
nob
tain
ed,
eith
erw
ith
each
othe
r,or
wit
hth
ose
ofth
eol
dw
orld
.
10 Rac
e,H
isto
ry,
and
Impe
rial
ism
Geo
rgW
ilhe
lmF
rie
dri
chH
egel
(b.
Stut
tgar
t,2
7A
ugus
t17
70;
d.B
erlin
,14
Nov
embe
r18
31)
108 Georges Leopold CUlIier
bours, the Caucasian Hindoos and the Mongolian Chinese? Asfor us, we confess we cannot discover any sufficient characteristics in them for that purpose. Are the Papuas Negroes, whichmay formerly have strayed into the Indian Ocean? We possessneither figures nor descriptions sufficiently precise to enable usto answer this question.
The northern inhabitants of both continents, the Samoiedes,the Laplanders, and the Esquimaux spring, according to some,from the Mongolian race, while others assert that they are meredegenerate offsets from the Scythian and Tartar branch of theCaucasian stock ...
We have not yet been able to refer the Americans to any of theraces of the eastern continent; still, they have no precise norconstant character which can entitle them to be considered as aparticular one. Their copper-coloured complexion is not sufficient; their generally black hair and scanty beard would induceus to refer them to the Mongoles, if their defined features,projecting nose, large and open eye, did not oppose such atheory, and correspond with the feature of the European. Theirlanguages are as numberless as their tribes, and no demonstrative analogy has as yet been obtained, either with each other, orwith those of the old world.
10Race, History, andImperialismGeorg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel(b. Stuttgart, 27 August 1770; d. Berlin,14 November 1831)
110
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
Geo
grap
hic
alB
asis
of
Wor
ldH
isto
ry
Gen
eral
det
erm
inat
ion
s
The
univ
ersa
lpr
emis
eof
this
inve
stig
atio
nis
that
wor
ldhi
stor
yre
pres
ents
the
Idea
ofth
esp
irit
asit
disp
lays
itse
lfin
real
ity
asa
seri
esof
exte
rnal
form
s.T
hest
age
ofse
lf-c
onsc
ious
ness
whi
chth
esp
irit
has
reac
hed
man
ifes
tsits
elf
inw
orld
hist
ory
asth
eex
isti
ngna
tion
alsp
irit,
asa
nati
onw
hich
exis
tsin
the
pres
ent.
..W
hen
the
spir
itfi
rst
ente
rsex
iste
nce,
itta
kes
on
the
mod
eof
fini
tude
and
henc
eof
natu
ral
exis
tenc
ein
gene
ral.
..T
his
natu
ra
ldim
ensi
onle
ads
usto
cons
ider
the
infl
uenc
eof
geog
raph
y;fo
rth
ela
tter
incl
udes
all
that
belo
ngs
toth
epu
rely
natu
ral
phas
e.B
utin
natu
ral
exis
tenc
e,w
eca
nim
med
iate
lydi
stin
guis
htw
oas
pect
sof
dete
rmin
ate
real
ity:
on
the
one
hand
,it
incl
udes
the
nati
on's
natu
ral
will
orsu
bjec
tive
disp
osit
ion;
but
on
the
othe
r,it
isal
sopr
esen
tin
the
shap
eof
apa
rtic
ular
exte
rnal
natu
re.
Inso
far
asm
anis
unfr
eean
dna
tura
l,h
eca
nbe
desc
ribe
das
acr
eatu
reof
the
sens
es.T
hew
orld
ofth
ese
nses
,ho
wev
er,
cons
ists
oftw
odi
stin
ctas
pect
s:th
atof
subj
ecti
vity
and
that
ofex
tern
alna
ture
.T
hela
tter
isth
ege
ogra
phic
alas
pect
,w
hich
can
bere
cog
nise
dat
firs
tgl
ance
aspa
rtof
exte
rnal
natu
rein
gene
ral.
Wha
tw
eha
veto
cons
ider
,th
eref
ore,
are
diff
eren
ces
whi
char
egr
ound
edin
natu
re.
The
ym
usta
lso
bese
enfi
rst
and
fore
mos
tas
part
icul
arpo
ssib
ilitie
sfr
omw
hich
the
spir
itge
rmin
ates
,an
dth
eyac
cord
ingl
yle
ndit
itsge
ogra
phic
alba
sis..
.T
his
cons
ider
atio
nw
ould
seem
tota
lly
wit
hw
hat
isus
uall
ysa
idco
ncer
ning
the
infl
uenc
eof
clim
ate
on
hu
man
affa
irs.
Itis
age
nera
lan
dw
idel
yhe
ldop
inio
nth
atth
epa
rtic
ular
nati
onal
spir
itis
link
edw
ith
the
clim
ate
ofth
ena
tion
inqu
esti
on,
and
that
the
nati
onis
bybi
rth
asi
ngle
peop
le.
Thi
sis
ave
ryco
m
mon
lyex
pres
sed
sent
imen
t.B
utho
wev
erne
cess
ary
the
conn
ec
tion
betw
een
the
spir
itua
lan
dth
ena
tura
lpr
inci
ple
may
be,
we
mus
tno
tre
stco
nten
tw
ith
ever
yday
opin
ions
and
ascr
ibe
over
sp
ecif
icef
fect
san
din
flue
nces
tocl
imat
e.F
orex
ampl
e,a
grea
tde
alis
ofte
nsa
idab
out
the
mil
dIo
nic
sky
whi
chsu
ppos
edly
prod
uced
Hom
er,
and
itdi
dun
doub
tedl
yco
ntri
bute
mu
chto
the
char
mof
the
Hom
eric
poem
s.B
llt
the
coas
tof
Asi
aM
inor
has
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
111
alw
ays
been
the
sam
e,an
dis
still
the
sam
eto
day;
neve
rthe
less
,on
lyon
eH
omer
has
aris
enam
ong
the
Ioni
cpe
ople
.It
isn
ot
the
nati
onw
hich
sing
s;a
poem
isco
mpo
sed-
only
byon
epe
rson
,by
asi
ngle
ind
ivid
ual
-an
dev
enif
seve
ralp
erso
nsw
ere
invo
lved
inth
eco
mpo
siti
onof
the
Hom
eric
song
s,th
eyw
ere
still
only
agr
oup
ofin
divi
dual
s.D
espi
teth
em
ild
sky,
no
furt
her
Hom
ers
emer
ged,
part
icul
arly
un
der
the
Tur
kish
rule
.T
heef
fect
ofcl
im
ate
isli
mit
edto
min
orpa
rtic
ular
s;b
ut
we
are
no
tco
ncer
ned
wit
hth
ese,
and
they
have
no
real
infl
uenc
ein
any
case
.C
lim
ate
does
have
ace
rtai
nin
flue
nce,
how
ever
,in
that
nei
ther
the
torr
idno
rth
eco
ldre
gion
can
prov
ide
aba
sis
for
hu
man
free
dom
orfo
rw
orld
-his
tori
cal
nati
ons.
At
his
firs
taw
aken
ing,
man
poss
esse
san
imm
edia
tely
natu
ral
cons
ciou
snes
sin
rela
tion
tona
ture
inge
nera
l.Si
nce
this
isso
,th
ere
isne
cess
aril
ya
rela
tion
ship
betw
een
the
two:
alld
evel
opm
enti
nvol
ves
are
flec
ti
onof
the
spir
itw
ithi
nit
self
inop
posi
tion
tona
ture
,o
ran
inte
rnal
part
icul
aris
atio
nof
the
spir
itas
agai
nst
its
imm
edia
teex
iste
nce,
Le.
the
natu
ral
wor
ld.
The
mo
men
tof
natu
raln
ess
isit
self
part
ofth
ispa
rtic
ular
isat
ion,
beca
use
itis
itse
lfof
apa
rtic
ula
rna
ture
;an
din
this
way
,an
oppo
siti
onar
ises
betw
een
the
spir
itan
dth
eex
tern
alw
orld
.N
atur
eis
ther
efor
eth
eor
igin
alba
sis
from
whi
chm
anca
nac
hiev
ein
war
dfr
eedo
m.
For
inso
far
asm
anis
prim
aril
ya
crea
ture
ofth
ese
nses
,it
isim
pera
tive
that
,in
his
sens
uous
conn
ecti
onw
ith
natu
re,
he
shou
ldbe
able
toat
tain
free
dom
bym
eans
ofin
tern
alre
flec
tion
.But
whe
rena
ture
isto
opo
wer
ful,
his
libe
rati
onbe
com
esm
ore
diff
icul
t.H
isse
nsu
0us
exis
tenc
ean
dhi
sw
ithd
raw
alfr
omit
are
them
selv
eshi
sna
tura
lm
ode
ofex
iste
nce,
and
the
latt
er,
assu
ch....
embo
dies
the
dete
rmin
atio
nof
quan
tity
.It
isth
eref
ore
esse
ntia
lth
atm
an's
conn
ecti
onw
ith
natu
resh
ould
no
tbe
too
pow
erfu
lin
the
firs
tpl
ace.
Nat
ure,
inco
ntra
stto
the
spir
it,is
aqu
anti
tati
veel
emen
tw
hose
pow
erm
ustn
otb
eso
grea
tas
tore
nder
itom
nipo
tent
inits
ow
nri
ght.
Ext
rem
eco
ndit
ions
are
no
tco
nduc
ive
tosp
irit
ual
deve
lopm
ent.
Ari
stot
leha
slo
ngsi
nce
obse
rved
that
man
turn
sto
univ
ersa
l an
dm
ore
exal
ted
thin
gson
lyaf
ter
his
basi
cne
eds
have
been
sati
sfie
d.B
utne
ithe
rth
eto
rrid
no
rth
efr
igid
zone
perm
its
him
tom
ove
free
ly,
orto
acqu
ire
suff
icie
ntre
sour
ces
toal
low
him
topa
rtic
ipat
ein
high
ersp
irit
ual
inte
rest
s.H
eis
kept
into
oin
sens
ible
ast
ate;
he
isop
pres
sed
byna
ture
,an
dco
nseq
uent
ly
110 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Geographical Basis of World History
General determinations
The universal premise of this investigation is that world historyrepresents the Idea of the spirit as it displays itself in reality as aseries of external forms. The stage of self-consciousness whichthe spirit has reached manifests itself in world history as theexisting national spirit, as a nation which exists in the present ...
When the spirit first enters existence, it takes on the mode offinitude and hence of natural existence in general ... This natural dimension leads us to consider the influence of geography; forthe latter includes all that belongs to the purely natural phase.But in natural existence, we can immediately distinguish twoaspects of determinate reality: on the one hand, it includes thenation's natural will or subjective disposition; but on the other,it is also present in the shape of a particular external nature. Inso far as man is unfree and natural, he can be described as acreature of the senses. The world of the senses, however, consistsof two distinct aspects: that of subjectivity and that of externalnature. The latter is the geographical aspect, which can be recognised at first glance as part of external nature in general. Whatwe have to consider, therefore, are differences which aregrounded in nature. They must also be seen first and foremost asparticular possibilities from which the spirit germinates, and theyaccordingly lend it its geographical basis ...
This consideration would seem to tally with what is usuallysaid concerning the influence of climate on human affairs. It is ageneral and widely held opinion that the particular nationalspirit is linked with the climate of the nation in question, andthat the nation is by birth a single people. This is a very commonly expressed sentiment. But however necessary the connection between the spiritual and the natural principle may be, wemust not rest content with everyday opinions and ascribe overspecific effects and influences to climate. For example, a greatdeal is often said about the mild Ionic sky which supposedlyproduced Homer, and it did undoubtedly contribute much to thecharm of the Homeric poems. Bll! the coast of Asia Minor has
"Geographical Basis o/World History" 111
always been the same, and is still the same today; nevertheless,only one Homer has arisen among the Ionic people. It is not thenation which sings; a poem is composed- only by one person, bya single individual- and even if several persons were involved inthe composition of the Homeric songs, they were still only agroup of individuals. Despite the mild sky, no further Homersemerged, particularly under the Turkish rule. The effect of climate is limited to minor particulars; but we are not concernedwith these, and they have no real influence in any case.
Climate does have a certain influence, however, in that neither the torrid nor the cold region can provide a basis for humanfreedom or for world-historical nations. At his first awakening,man possesses an immediately natural consciousness in relationto nature in general. Since this is so, there is necessarily arelationship between the two: all development involves a reflection of the spirit within itself in opposition to nature, or aninternal particularisation of the spirit as against its immediateexistence, Le. the natural world. The moment of naturalness isitself part of this particularisation, because it is itself of a particular nature; and in this way, an opposition arises between thespirit and the external world. Nature is therefore the originalbasis from which man can achieve inward freedom. For in so faras man is primarily a creature of the senses, it is imperative that,in his sensuous connection with nature, he should be able toattain freedom by means of internal reflection. But where natureis too powerful, his liberation becomes more difficult. His sensu0us existence and his withdrawal from it are themselves hisnatural mode of existence, and the latter, as such.... embodies thedetermination of quantity. It is therefore essential that man'sconnection with nature should not be too powerful in the firstplace.
Nature, in contrast to the spirit, is a quantitative elementwhose power must notbe so great as to render it omnipotent inits own right. Extreme conditions are not conducive to spiritualdevelopment. Aristotle has long since observed that man turns touniversal and more exalted things only after his basic needs havebeen satisfied. But neither the torrid nor the frigid zone permitshim to move freely, or to acquire sufficient resources to allowhim to participate in higher spiritual interests. He is kept in tooinsensible a state; he is oppressed by nature, and consequently
112
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
cann
otdi
vorc
ehi
mse
lffr
omit,
alth
ough
this
isth
epr
imar
yco
ndit
ion
ofal
lhi
gher
spir
itua
lcu
ltur
e.T
hepo
wer
ofth
eel
em
ents
isto
ogr
eatf
orm
anto
esca
pefr
omhi
sst
rugg
lew
ith
them
,or
tobe
com
est
rong
enou
ghto
asse
rthi
ssp
irit
ual
free
dom
agai
nst
the
pow
erof
natu
re.
The
fros
tw
hich
grip
sth
ein
habi
tan
tsof
Lap
plan
dan
dth
efi
ery
hea
tof
Afr
ica
are
forc
esof
too
pow
erfu
la
natu
refo
rm
anto
resi
st,
orfo
rth
esp
irit
toac
hiev
efr
eem
ovem
ent a
ndto
reac
hth
atde
gree
ofri
chne
ssw
hich
isth
epr
econ
diti
onan
dso
urce
ofa
fully
deve
lope
dm
aste
ryof
real
ity.
Inre
gion
ssu
chas
thes
e,di
rene
cess
ity
can
neve
rbe
esca
ped
orov
erco
me;
man
isco
ntin
uall
yfo
rced
todi
rect
his
atte
ntio
nto
natu
re.
Man
uses
natu
refo
rhi
so
wn
ends
;b
ut
whe
rena
ture
isto
opo
wer
ful,
itdo
esn
ot
allo
wits
elf
tobe
used
asa
mea
ns.
The
torr
idan
dfr
igid
regi
ons,
assQ
.ch,
are
no
tth
eth
eatr
eo
nw
hich
wor
ldhi
stor
yis
enac
ted.
Inth
isre
spec
t,su
chex
trem
esar
ein
com
pati
ble
wit
hsp
irit
ual
free
dom
.A
llin
all,
itis
ther
efor
eth
ete
mpe
rate
zone
whi
chm
ust
furn
ish
the
thea
tre
ofw
orld
hist
ory.
And
mor
esp
ecif
ical
ly,
the
nort
hern
part
ofth
ete
mpe
rate
regi
ons
ispa
rtic
ular
lysu
ited
toth
ispu
rpo
se,
beca
use
atth
ispo
int,
the
eart
hha
sa
broa
dbr
east
(as
the
Gre
eks
pu
tit
),L
e.th
eco
ntin
ents
are
clos
ely
conn
ecte
d.T
his
form
atio
nca
llsto
min
dth
edi
stin
ctio
nw
hich
isco
mm
only
mad
ebe
twee
nno
rth
and
sout
h;fo
rth
eea
rth
isw
ides
tin
the
no
rth
and
divi
ded
inth
eso
uth,
whe
reit
sepa
rate
so
ut
into
man
ydi
stin
ctpo
ints
asin
Am
eric
a,A
sia,
and
Afr
ica.
The
sam
epe
culi
arit
ysh
ows
itsel
fin
natu
ralp
rodu
cts.
All
the
inte
rcon
nect
edno
rthe
rnco
untr
ies,
asw
ekn
owfr
omna
tura
lhi
stor
y,ha
vem
any
natu
ral
prod
ucts
inco
mm
on;
bu
tin
the
wid
ely
sepa
rate
dpr
omon
tori
esof
the
sout
h,th
eydi
verg
em
uch
mor
ew
idel
y.In
term
sof
bota
nyan
dzo
olog
y,th
eno
rthe
rnzo
neis
ther
efor
eth
em
ost
impo
rtan
ton
e;th
ela
rges
tnum
ber
ofan
imal
and
vege
tabl
esp
ecie
sis
foun
din
it,w
here
asin
the
sout
h,w
here
the
land
isbr
oken
upin
tose
para
tepo
ints
,th
ena
tura
lfo
rms
also
dive
rge
wid
ely
from
one
anot
her.
Th
eN
ewW
orld
The
wor
ldis
divi
ded
into
the
Old
and
the
New
-th
ela
tter
taki
ngits
nam
efr
omth
efa
ctth
atA
mer
ica
and
Aus
tral
iaon
lybe
cam
e
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
113
kn
ow
nto
the
Eur
opea
nsat
ala
ter
stag
eof
hist
ory.
But
the
diff
eren
cebe
twee
nth
emis
no
tm
erel
yan
exte
rnal
one,
for
the
two
are
infa
ctes
sent
iall
ydi
stin
ct:
the
New
Wor
ldis
no
tju
stre
lati
vely
new
,b
uta
bsol
utel
yso
,b
yvi
rtue
ofit
sw
holl
ype
culi
arch
arac
teri
nb
oth
phys
ical
and
poli
tica
lres
pect
s.It
sge
olog
ical
age
does
no
tco
ncer
nus
here
.I
wil
ln
ot
deny
itth
eh
on
ou
rof
also
havi
ngri
sen
from
the
sea
atth
eti
me
ofth
ew
orld
'scr
eati
on(o
rho
wev
erw
ew
ish
tode
scri
beit
).N
ever
thel
ess,
the
arch
ipel
ago
betw
een
Sou
thA
mer
ica
and
Asi
adi
spla
ysa
phys
ical
imm
atur
ity
even
inre
spec
tof
itsor
igin
;fo
rm
ost
ofth
eis
land
sar
eba
sed
on
cora
l,an
dar
eso
situ
ated
asto
be,
soto
spea
k,m
erel
ya
supe
rfi
cial
cove
ring
for
rock
sw
hich
rise
up
ou
toft
he
bott
omle
ssde
pths
and
bear
the
mar
ksof
rela
tive
lyre
cent
orig
in.
New
Hol
land
ap
pear
sge
ogra
phic
ally
no
less
imm
atQ
.re;
for
ifw
epr
ocee
dfu
rthe
rin
land
from
the
Eng
lish
sett
lem
ents
,w
een
coun
ter
vast
rive
rsw
hich
have
no
tye
tre
ache
dth
est
age
ofcu
ttin
gch
anne
lsfo
rth
emse
lves
,b
ut
lose
them
selv
esin
stea
din
mar
shy
plai
ns.
Am
eric
a,as
ever
yone
know
s,is
divi
ded
into
two
part
s;an
dal
th
ough
thes
ear
eco
nnec
ted
byan
isth
mus
,it
does
no
tfa
cili
tate
com
mun
icat
ions
betw
een
them
.O
nth
eco
ntra
ry,
they
rem
ain
quit
ede
fini
tely
sepa
rate
.In
Nor
thA
mer
ica,
we
firs
tof
alle
ncou
nte
ra
broa
dco
asta
lst
rip
alon
gth
eea
ster
nse
aboa
rd,
beyo
ndw
hich
am
ount
ain
rang
e-
the
Blu
eM
ount
ains
orA
ppal
achi
ans,
wit
hth
eA
lleg
heny
MO
\lnta
ins
toth
en
ort
h-
exte
nds.
The
rive
rsw
hich
flow
from
thes
ew
ater
the
coas
tal
regi
ons,
whi
char
ead
mir
ably
suit
edto
the
need
sof
the
free
Nor
thA
mer
ican
stat
esw
hich
firs
tgr
ewu
pin
this
area
.B
eyon
dth
ism
ount
ain
rang
e,th
eSt
Law
renc
eR
iver
,whi
chis
conn
ecte
dw
ith
the
Gre
atL
akes
,fl
ows
from
sout
hto
nort
h,w
ith
the
nort
hern
colO
nies
ofC
anad
aal
ong
its
bank
s.F
urth
erw
est,
we
mee
tth
eba
sin
ofth
egr
eat
Mis
siss
ippi
,w
ith
the
othe
rte
rrit
orie
sof
the
Mis
sour
ian
dO
hio
Riv
ers
whi
chfl
owin
toit
befo
reit
empt
ies
itse
lfin
toth
eG
ulf
ofM
exic
o.T
oth
ew
est
ofth
isre
gion
lies
anot
her
long
mou
ntai
nra
nge
whi
chru
nso
nth
roug
hM
exic
oan
dth
eIs
thm
usof
Pan
ama;
Q.n
der
the
nam
eof
the
And
esor
Cor
dille
ras,
itcu
tsof
fth
een
tire
wes
tern
side
ofSo
uth
Amer
ica.
The
coas
tals
trip
form
edby
thes
em
ount
ains
isna
rrow
eran
dle
ssho
spit
able
than
that
ofN
orth
Am
eric
a.P
eru
and
Chi
lear
esi
tuat
edo
nit.
To
the
east
ofth
em
ount
ains
,th
eva
stO
rino
coan
dA
maz
onR
ivet
sfl
owea
st
war
ds;
they
have
form
edw
ide
valle
ys,
whi
char
eno
t,ho
wev
er,
112 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
cannot divorce himself from it, although this is the primarycondition of all higher spiritual culture. The power of the elements is too great for man to escape from his struggle with them,or to become strong enough to assert his spiritual freedomagainst the power of nature. The frost which grips the inhabitants of Lappland and the fiery heat of Africa are forces of toopowerful a nature for man to resist, or for the spirit to achievefree movement and to reach that degree of richness which is theprecondition and source of a fully developed mastery of reality.In regions such as these, dire necessity can never be escaped orovercome; man is continually forced to direct his attention tonature. Man uses nature for his own ends; but where nature istoo powerful, it does not allow itself to be used as a means. Thetorrid and frigid regions, as sl).ch, are not the theatre on whichworld history is enacted. In this respect, such extremes areincompatible with spiritual freedom.
All in all, it is therefore the temperate zone which must furnishthe theatre of world history. And more specifically, the northernpart of the temperate regions is particularly suited to this purpose, because at this point, the earth has a broad breast (as theGreeks put it), Le. the continents are closely connected. Thisformation calls to mind the distinction which is commonly madebetween north and south; for the earth is widest in the north anddivided in the south, where it separates out into many distinctpoints as in America, Asia, and Africa. The same peculiarityshows itself in natural products. All the interconnected northerncountries, as we know from natural history, have many naturalproducts in common; but in the widely separated promontoriesof the south, they diverge much more widely. In terms of botanyand zoology, the northern zone is therefore the most importantone; the largest number of animal and vegetable species is foundin it, whereas in the south, where the land is broken up intoseparate points, the natural forms also diverge widely from oneanother.
The New World
The world is divided into the Old and the New - the latter takingits name from the fact that America and Australia only became
"Geographical Basis of World History" 113
known to the Europeans at a later stage of history. But thedifference between them is not merely an external one, for thetwo are in fact essentially distinct: the New World is not justrelatively new, but absolutely so, by virtue of its wholly peculiarcharacter in both physical and political respects. Its geological agedoes not concern us here. I will not deny it the honour of alsohaving risen from the sea at the time of the world's creation (orhowever we wish to describe it). Nevertheless, the archipelagobetween South America and Asia displays a physical immaturityeven in respect of its origin; for most of the islands are based oncoral, and are so situated as to be, so to speak, merely a superficial covering for rocks which rise up out of the bottomless depthsand bear the marks of relatively recent origin. New Holland appears geographically no less immature; for if we proceed furtherinland from the English settlements, we encounter vast riverswhich have not yet reached the stage of cutting channels forthemselves, but lose themselves instead in marshy plains.America, as everyone knows, is divided into two parts; and although these are connected by an isthmus, it does not facilitatecommunications between them. On the contrary, they remainquite definitely separate. In North America, we first of all encounter a broad coastal strip along the eastern seaboard, beyondwhich a mountain range - the Blue Mountains or Appalachians,with the Allegheny MO\lntains to the north - extends. The riverswhich flow from these water the coastal regions, which areadmirably suited to the needs of the free North American stateswhich first grew up in this area. Beyond this mountain range,the St Lawrence River, which is connected with the Great Lakes,flows from south to north, with the northern colOnies of Canadaalong its banks. Further west, we meet the basin of the greatMississippi, with the other territories of the Missouri and OhioRivers which flow into it before it empties itself into the Gulf ofMexico. To the west of this region lies another long mountainrange which runs on through Mexico and the Isthmus ofPanama; under the name of the Andes or Cordilleras, it cuts offthe entire western side of South America. The coastal strip formedby these mountains is narrower and less hospitable than that ofNorth America. Peru and Chile are situated on it. To the east ofthe mountains, the vast Orinoco and Amazon Rivets flow eastwards; they have formed wide valleys, which are not, however,
114
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mF
riedr
ich
Heg
el
asu
itab
lese
ttin
gfo
rci
vilis
atio
n,fo
rth
eyar
ere
ally
nom
ore
than
vast
step
pela
nds.
Toth
eso
uth
flow
sth
eR
iode
laP
lata
,so
me
of
who
setr
ibut
arie
sri
sein
the
Cor
dille
ras,
and
othe
rsin
the
nort
h
ern
mou
ntai
nri
dge
whi
chse
para
tes
itfr
omth
eba
sin
ofth
e
Am
azon
.T
heba
sin
ofth
eR
iode
laP
lata
incl
udes
Bra
zila
nd
the
Spa
nish
repu
blic
s.C
olum
bia
isin
the
nort
hern
coas
tal
regi
onof
Sou
thA
mer
ica,
and
inits
wes
tern
half
the
Mag
dale
naR
iver
flow
sal
ong
the
And
esan
din
toth
eC
arib
bean
.
The
New
Wor
ldm
ayev
enha
vebe
enco
nnec
ted
wit
hE
urop
e
and
Afr
ica
aton
eti
me.
But
the
rece
nthi
stor
yof
the
tran
satl
anti
c
cont
inen
tin
dica
tes
that
,al
thou
ghit
did
poss
ess
anin
dige
nous
cult
ure
wh
enit
was
firs
tdi
scov
ered
byth
eE
urop
eans
,th
is
cult
ure
was
dest
roye
dth
roug
hco
ntac
tw
ith
them
;th
esu
bjug
a
tion
ofth
eco
untr
yam
ount
ed,
infa
ct,
toits
dow
nfal
l.W
edo
have
info
rmat
ion
conc
erni
ngA
mer
ica
and
itscu
ltur
e,es
peci
ally
asit
had
deve
lope
din
Mex
ico
and
Per
u,b
ut
only
toth
eef
fect
that
itw
asa
pure
lyna
tura
lcu
ltur
ew
hich
had
tope
rish
asso
on
asth
esp
irit
appr
oach
edit.
Am
eric
aha
sal
way
ssh
own
itse
lf
phys
ical
lyan
dsp
irit
uall
yim
pote
nt,a
nd
itdo
esso
toth
isda
y.F
or
afte
rth
eE
urop
eans
had
land
edth
ere,
the
nati
ves
wer
egr
adua
lly
dest
roye
dby
the
brea
thof
Eur
opea
nac
tivi
ty.
Eve
nth
ean
imal
s
show
the
sam
ein
feri
orit
yas
the
hu
man
bein
gs.
The
faun
aof
Am
eric
ain
clud
eslio
ns,
tiger
s,an
dcr
ocod
iles,
bu
tal
thou
ghth
ey
are
othe
rwis
esi
mil
arto
thei
req
uiva
lent
sin
the
Old
Wor
ld,
they
are
inev
ery
resp
ect
smal
ler,
wea
ker,
and
less
pow
erfu
l.W
ear
e
even
assu
red
that
the
anim
als
are
no
tas
nour
ishi
ngas
the
food
whi
chth
eO
ldW
orld
prov
ides
.A
ndal
thou
ghA
mer
ica
has
huge
herd
sof
catt
le,
Eur
opea
nbe
efis
still
rega
rded
asa
delic
acy.
As
for
the
hu
man
popu
lati
on,
few
desc
enda
nts
ofth
eor
igin
al
inha
bita
nts
surv
ive,
for
near
lyse
ven
mil
lion
peop
leha
vebe
en
wip
edou
t.T
hena
tive
sof
the
Wes
tIn
dian
isla
nds
have
died
ou
t
alto
geth
er.
Inde
ed,
the
who
leN
orth
Am
eric
anw
orld
has
been
dest
roye
dan
dsu
ppre
ssed
byth
eE
urop
eans
.T
hetr
ibes
ofN
orth
Am
eric
aha
vein
part
disa
ppea
red,
and
inpa
rtw
ithd
raw
nfr
om
cont
act
wit
hth
eE
urop
eans
.T
heir
dege
nera
tion
indi
cate
sth
at
they
dono
tha
veth
est
reng
thto
join
the
inde
pend
ent
Nor
th
Am
eric
anst
ates
.C
ultu
rall
yin
feri
orna
tion
ssu
chas
thes
ear
e
grad
uall
yer
oded
thro
ugh
cont
act
wit
hm
ore
adva
nced
nati
ons
whi
chha
vego
neth
roug
ha
mor
ein
tens
ive
cult
ural
deve
lop
men
t.F
orth
eci
tizen
sof
the
inde
pend
ent
stat
esof
Nor
th
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
istor
y"11
5
Am
eric
aar
eal
lofE
urop
ean
desc
enta
nd
the
orig
inal
inha
bita
nts
wer
eun
able
toam
alga
mat
ew
ith
them
.T
hena
tive
sha
vece
rtai
nly
lear
ntva
riou
sar
tsfr
omth
eE
uro
pean
sin
clud
ing
that
ofbr
andy
drin
king
,who
seef
fect
up
on
them
has
been
disa
stro
us.
The
only
inha
bita
nts
ofS
outh
Am
eric
aan
d
Mex
ico
wh
ofe
elth
ene
edfo
rin
depe
nden
cear
eth
eCr
eoles
,wh
o
are
desc
ende
dfr
oma
mix
ture
ofna
tive
and
Spa
nish
orP
ortu
gues
ean
cest
ors.
The
yal
one
have
atta
ined
ahi
gher
degr
eeof
self
-aw
aren
ess,
and
felt
the
urge
for
auto
nom
yan
din
depe
nd
ence
.It
isth
eyw
ho
set
the
tone
it).t
heir
coun
try.
But
itw
ould
appe
arth
aton
lya
few
nati
vetr
ibes
shar
eth
eir
atti
tude
.A
dmit
tedl
yw
edo
hea
rre
port
sof
nati
vepe
ople
sw
ho
have
iden
tifi
ed
them
selv
esw
ith
the
rece
ntef
fort
sof
the
Am
eric
ans
tocr
eate
inde
pend
ent
stat
es,
bu
tit
ispr
obab
leth
atve
ryfe
wof
thei
r
mem
bers
are
ofp
ure
nati
veor
igin
.F
orth
isre
ason
,th
eE
ngli
sh
have
also
adop
ted
the
poli
cyin
Indi
aof
prev
enti
ngth
eri
seof
a
nati
veC
reol
epo
pula
tion
,i.e
.a
peop
leof
mix
edE
urop
ean
and
nati
vebl
ood.
We
shou
ldal
sono
teth
ata
larg
erna
tive
popu
lace
has
surv
ived
inS
outh
Am
eric
a,de
spit
eth
efa
ctth
atth
ena
tive
sth
ere
have
bee
nsu
bjec
ted
tofa
rgr
eate
rvio
lenc
e,an
dem
ploy
edin
grue
llin
g
labo
urs
tow
hich
thei
rst
reng
thw
assc
arce
lyeq
ual.
The
loca
l
popu
lace
issu
bjec
ted
toev
ery
kind
ofde
grad
atio
n.O
nem
ust
read
the
acco
unts
oftr
avel
lers
toap
prec
iate
thei
rm
ildn
ess
and
pass
ivit
y,th
eir
hum
ilit
yan
dob
sequ
ious
subm
issi
vene
ssto
war
ds
aC
reol
e,an
dev
enm
ore
tow
ards
aE
urop
ean;
and
itw
ill
bea
long
tim
ebe
fore
the
Eur
opea
nsca
nsu
ccee
din
inst
illi
ngan
y
feel
ings
ofin
depe
nden
cein
toth
em.
Som
eof
them
;hav
evi
site
d
Eur
ope,
bu
tth
eyar
eob
viou
sly
unin
tell
igen
tin
divi
dual
sw
ith
litt
leca
paci
tyfo
red
ucat
ion.
The
irin
feri
orit
yin
allr
espe
cts,
even
inst
atur
e,ca
nbe
seen
inev
ery
part
icul
ar;
the
sout
hern
trib
esof
Pat
agon
iaar
eal
one
mor
epo
wer
full
yco
nsti
tute
d,al
thou
ghth
ey
still
live
ina
natu
ral
stat
eof
law
less
ness
and
sava
gery
.T
he
reli
giou
sbr
othe
rhoo
dsha
vetr
eate
dth
emin
the
corr
ectm
anne
r,
firs
tim
pres
sing
them
byth
eir
spir
itua
lau
thor
ity
and
then
allo
t
ting
them
task
sca
lcul
ated
toaw
aken
and
satis
fyth
eir
need
s.
Wh
enth
eJe
suit
san
dC
atho
lic
cler
gyfi
rst
seto
utt
oac
quai
ntth
e
Indi
ans
wit
hE
urop
ean
cult
ure
and
man
ners
(for
,as
ever
yone
know
s,th
eyfo
unde
da
stat
ein
Par
agua
yan
des
tabl
ishe
dm
onas
teri
esin
Mex
ico
and
Cal
ifor
nia)
,th
eyw
ent
into
thei
rm
idst
and
114 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
a suitable setting for civilisation, for they are really no more thanvast steppelands. To the south flows the Rio de la Plata, some ofwhose tributaries rise in the Cordilleras, and others in the northern mountain ridge which separates it from the basin of theAmazon. The basin of the Rio de la Plata includes Brazil and theSpanish republics. Columbia is in the northern coastal region ofSouth America, and in its western half the Magdalena Riverflows along the Andes and into the Caribbean.
The New World may even have been connected with Europeand Africa at one time. But the recent history of the transatlanticcontinent indicates that, although it did possess an indigenousculture when it was first discovered by the Europeans, thisculture was destroyed through contact with them; the subjugation of the country amounted, in fact, to its downfall. We dohave information concerning America and its culture, especiallyas it had developed in Mexico and Peru, but only to the effectthat it was a purely natural culture which had to perish as soonas the spirit approached it. America has always shown itselfphysically and spiritually impotent, and it does so to this day. Forafter the Europeans had landed there, the natives were graduallydestroyed by the breath of European activity. Even the animalsshow the same inferiority as the human beings. The fauna ofAmerica includes lions, tigers, and crocodiles, but although theyare otherwise similar to their equivalents in the Old World, theyare in every respect smaller, weaker, and less powerful. We areeven assured that the animals are not as nourishing as the foodwhich the Old World provides. And although America has hugeherds of cattle, European beef is still regarded as a delicacy.
As for the human population, few descendants of the originalinhabitants survive, for nearly seven million people have beenwiped out. The natives of the West Indian islands have died outaltogether. Indeed, the whole North American world has beendestroyed and suppressed by the Europeans. The tribes of NorthAmerica have in part disappeared, and in part withdrawn fromcontact with the Europeans. Their degeneration indicates thatthey do not have the strength to join the independent NorthAmerican states. Culturally inferior nations such as these aregradually eroded through contact with more advanced nationswhich have gone through a more intensive cultural development. For the citizens of the independent states of North
"Geographical Basis ofWorld History" 115
America are all of European descent and the original inhabitantswere unable to amalgamate with them.
The natives have certainly learnt various arts from the Europeans including that of brandy drinking, whose effect upon themhas been disastrous. The only inhabitants of South America andMexico who feel the need for independence are the Creoles, whoare descended from a mixture of native and Spanish or Portuguese ancestors. They alone have attained a higher degree ofself-awareness, and felt the urge for autonomy and independence. It is they who set the tone iI). their country. But it wouldappear that only a few native tribes share their attitude. Admittedly we do hear reports of native peoples who have identifiedthemselves with the recent efforts of the Americans to createindependent states, but it is probable that very few of theirmembers are of pure native origin. For this reason, the Englishhave also adopted the policy in India of preventing the rise of anative Creole population, Le. a people of mixed European andnative blood.
We should also note that a larger native populace has survivedin South America, despite the fact that the natives there havebeen subjected to far greater violence, and employed in gruellinglabours to which their strength was scarcely equal. The localpopulace is subjected to every kind of degradation. One mustread the accounts of travellers to appreciate their mildness andpassivity, their humility and obsequious submissiveness towardsa Creole, and even more towards a European; and it will be along time before the Europeans can succeed in instilling anyfeelings of independence into them. Some of them ;have visitedEurope, but they are obviously unintelligent individuals withlittle capacity for education. Their inferiority in all respects, evenin stature, can be seen in every particular; the southern tribes ofPatagonia are alone more powerfully constituted, although theystill live in a natural state of lawlessness and savagery. Thereligious brotherhoods have treated them in the correct manner,first impressing them by their spiritual authority and then allotting them tasks calculated to awaken and satisfy their needs.When the Jesuits and Catholic clergy first set out to acquaint theIndians with European culture and manners (for, as everyoneknows, they founded a state in Paraguay and established monasteries in Mexico and California), they went into their midst and
116
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mF
ried
rich
Heg
el
pres
crib
edth
eir
daily
duti
esfo
rth
emas
ifth
eyw
ere
min
ors;
and,
how
ever
idle
the
nati
ves
othe
rwis
ew
ere,
they
duly
carr
ied
them
out
inco
mpl
ianc
ew
ith
the
auth
orit
yof
the
fath
ers.
The
cler
gyal
sobu
ilts
tore
hous
esfo
rth
eman
din
stru
cted
them
inth
eir
use,
soth
atth
eym
ight
prov
ide
for
thei
rfu
ture
need
s.T
hey
chos
eth
em
ost
appr
opri
ate
mea
nsof
bett
erin
gth
em,
trea
ting
them
mu
chas
one
wou
ldtr
eat
chil
dren
.I
even
reco
llec
tha
ving
read
that
acl
ergy
man
used
tori
nga
bell
atm
idni
ght
tore
min
dth
emto
perf
orm
thei
rm
atri
mon
ial
duti
es,
for
itw
ould
othe
rwis
ene
ver
have
occu
rred
toth
emto
doso
.T
hese
prec
epts
atfi
rst
serv
ed_
quit
eri
ghtl
y-
toaw
aken
thei
rne
eds,
whi
char
eth
esp
ring
sof
all
hu
man
acti
vity
.T
heA
mer
ican
s,th
en,
are
like
unen
ligh
tene
dch
ildr
en,
livi
ngfr
omon
eda
yto
the
next
,an
dun
touc
hed
byhi
gher
thou
ghts
oras
pira
tion
s.T
hew
eakn
ess
ofth
eir
phys
ique
was
one
ofth
em
ain
reas
ons
why
the
Neg
roes
wer
ebr
ough
tto
Am
eric
aas
ala
bour
forc
e;fo
rth
eN
egro
esar
efa
rm
ore
susc
epti
ble
toE
urop
ean
cult
ure
than
the
Indi
ans.
The
Por
tugu
ese
wer
em
ore
hu
man
eth
anth
eD
utch
,S
pani
sh,
and
Eng
lish
.F
orth
isre
ason
,it
was
easi
ero
nth
eco
ast
ofB
razi
lth
anel
sew
here
for
slav
esto
gain
thei
rfr
eedo
m,
and
larg
enu
mbe
rsof
free
Neg
roes
wer
eto
befo
und
inth
isre
gion
.A
mon
gth
emw
asth
ebl
ack
phys
icia
nP
rK
inge
ra,
wh
ofi
rst
acqu
aint
edth
eE
urop
eans
wit
hqu
inin
e.A
nE
ngli
shw
rite
rre
port
sth
at,
amon
gth
ew
ide
circ
leof
his
ac
quai
ntan
ces,
heha
den
coun
tere
din
stan
ces
ofN
egro
esbe
com
ing
skill
edw
orke
rsan
dtr
ades
men
,an
dev
encl
ergy
men
and
doct
ors,
etc.
But
ofal
lthe
free
nati
veA
mer
ican
sh
ekn
ew,
he
coul
dth
ink
ofon
lyon
ew
hoha
dpr
oved
capa
ble
ofst
udy
and
who
even
tu
ally
beca
me
acl
ergy
man
;b
ut
he
had
died
soon
afte
rwar
dsas
are
sult
ofex
cess
ive
drin
king
.T
hew
eakn
ess
ofth
eh
um
anph
ysi
que
inA
mer
ica
isfu
rthe
rag
grav
ated
byth
ela
ckof
thos
eab
solu
tein
stru
men
tsw
hich
can
alon
ees
tabl
ish
afi
rmly
base
dau
thor
ity
-na
mel
yho
rses
and
iron
,th
epr
inci
pal
mea
nsby
whi
chth
ena
tive
sw
ere
subd
ued.
And
ifat
any
tim
ew
esp
eak
offr
eeci
tizen
sin
Sou
thA
mer
ica,
this
appl
ies
only
tope
ople
sof
mix
edE
urop
ean,
Asi
atic
,an
dA
mer
ican
bloo
d.T
hetr
ueA
mer
ica
nsar
eon
lyno
wbe
ginn
ing
toad
apt
them
selv
esto
Eur
opea
ncu
ltur
e.A
ndw
here
they
dota
kest
eps
toac
hiev
ein
depe
nden
ce,
itis
fore
ign
mea
nsw
hich
have
enab
led
them
todo
so:t
he
cava
lry
ofth
eL
lano
s,fo
rex
ampl
e,is
exce
llen
t;b
uti
tem
ploy
sth
eE
uro-
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
istor
y"11
7
pean
hors
e.B
utal
lof
thes
ena
tive
stat
esar
est
illin
the
proc
ess
offo
rmat
ion,
and
thei
rpo
siti
onis
no
tco
mm
ensu
rate
wit
hth
atof
the
Eur
opea
ns.
InS
pani
shan
dP
ortu
gues
eA
mer
ica,
the
nati
ves
still
have
toli
bera
teth
emse
lves
from
slav
ery,
and
inN
orth
Am
eric
a,th
eyla
cka
focu
sof
com
mun
alex
iste
nce
wit
hout
whi
chn
ost
ate
can
exis
t.Si
nce
the
orig
inal
Am
eric
anna
tion
has
vani
shed
-or
asgo
odas
vani
shed
-th
eef
fect
ive
popu
lati
onco
mes
for
the
mos
tp
art
from
Eur
ope,
and
ever
ythi
ngth
atha
ppen
sin
Am
eric
aha
sits
orig
inth
ere.
The
surp
lus
popu
lati
onof
Eur
ope
has
emig
rate
dto
Am
eric
a,by
apr
oces
sn
ot
unli
keth
atw
hich
occu
rred
info
rmer
tim
esin
the
impe
rial
Ger
man
citie
s.F
orth
ese
citie
sh
adm
any
com
mer
cial
priv
ileg
es,
and
num
erou
sem
igra
nts
fled
toth
emin
orde
rto
sett
lene
arby
soth
atth
eym
ight
enjo
yth
esa
me
righ
tsas
they
did.
Inth
isw
ay,
Alt
ona
grew
upn
ear
Ham
burg
,O
ffen
bach
nea
rF
rank
furt
,Fii
rth
nea
rNii
rnbe
rg,a
nd
Car
ouge
nea
rG
enev
a.Si
mila
rly,
citi
zens
wh
oha
dsu
ffer
edba
nkru
ptcy
and
wh
oco
uld
no
long
eren
joy
the
priv
ileg
esof
thei
rtr
ade
inth
eci
tyit
self
orat
tend
its
inst
itut
ions
wit
hout
disg
race
,w
ould
sett
lein
the
ad
join
ing
terr
itor
y;th
eyw
ould
have
ther
eal
lth
ead
vant
ages
whi
chsu
cha
tow
nca
nof
fer-
exem
ptio
nfr
omth
edu
esw
hich
the
olde
rci
ties
exac
ted
from
them
,an
dfr
omal
lob
liga
tion
tobe
long
toa
guild
.Thu
s,in
the
vici
nity
ofth
een
clos
edci
ties,
new
sett
lem
ents
aros
ein
whi
chth
esa
me
trad
esw
ere
prac
tise
d,b
ut
wit
hout
the
cont
rols
whi
chth
eci
ties
impo
sed
up
on
them
.T
here
lati
onsh
ipbe
twee
nN
orth
Am
eric
aan
dE
urop
eis
sim
ilar
.M
any
Eng
lish
m
enha
vese
ttle
dth
ere,
for
the
burd
ens
and
levi
esw
hich
are
impo
sed
on
trad
ean
dco
mm
erce
inE
urop
en
olo
nger
appl
yin
Am
eric
a.T
hey
brin
gw
ith
them
allt
he
adva
ntag
eSof
civi
lisat
ion,
and
are
able
topr
acti
seth
eir
skill
sw
itho
utin
terf
eren
ce.
The
accu
mul
atio
nof
Eur
opea
nm
etho
dsan
dsk
ills
has
enab
led
them
tore
apso
me
bene
fit
from
the
vast
area
sof
hith
erto
virg
inso
il.A
mer
ica
has
also
beco
me
apl
ace
ofre
fuge
for
the
dreg
sof
Eur
opea
nso
ciet
y.In
deed
,em
igra
tion
to.A
mer
ica
offe
rsm
any
adva
ntag
es,
for
the
emig
rant
sh
ave
cast
off
mu
chth
atm
ight
rest
rict
them
atho
me,
and
they
brin
gw
ith
them
the
bene
fits
ofE
urop
ean
self
-rel
ianc
ean
dE
urop
ean
cult
ure
wit
hout
the
ac
com
pany
ing
disa
dvan
tage
s;an
dto
thos
ew
ho
are
wil
ling
tow
ork
hard
and
wh
oha
ven
otf
ound
anop
port
unit
yto
doso
inE
urop
e,A
mer
ica
cert
ainl
yof
fers
ampl
esc
ope.
116 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
prescribed their daily duties for them as if they were minors; and,however idle the natives otherwise were, they duly carried themout in compliance with the authority of the fathers. The clergyalso built storehouses for them and instructed them in their use,so that they might provide for their future needs. They chose themost appropriate means of bettering them, treating them muchas one would treat children. I even recollect having read that aclergyman used to ring a bell at midnight to remind them toperform their matrimonial duties, for it would otherwise neverhave occurred to them to do so. These precepts at first served _quite rightly - to awaken their needs, which are the springs of allhuman activity.
The Americans, then, are like unenlightened children, livingfrom one day to the next, and untouched by higher thoughts oraspirations. The weakness of their physique was one of the mainreasons why the Negroes were brought to America as a labourforce; for the Negroes are far more susceptible to Europeanculture than the Indians. The Portuguese were more humanethan the Dutch, Spanish, and English. For this reason, it waseasier on the coast of Brazil than elsewhere for slaves to gaintheir freedom, and large numbers of free Negroes were to befound in this region. Among them was the black physician DrKingera, who first acquainted the Europeans with quinine. AnEnglish writer reports that, among the wide circle of his acquaintances, he had encountered instances of Negroes becomingskilled workers and tradesmen, and even clergymen and doctors,etc. But of all the free native Americans he knew, he could thinkof only one who had proved capable of study and who eventually became a clergyman; but he had died soon afterwards as aresult of excessive drinking. The weakness of the human physique in America is further aggravated by the lack of thoseabsolute instruments which can alone establish a firmly basedauthority - namely horses and iron, the principal means bywhich the natives were subdued. And if at any time we speak offree citizens in South America, this applies only to peoples ofmixed European, Asiatic, and American blood. The true Americans are only now beginning to adapt themselves to Europeanculture. And where they do take steps to achieve independence,it is foreign means which have enabled them to do so: the cavalryof the Llanos, for example, is excellent; but it employs the Euro-
"Geographical Basis of World History" 117
pean horse. But all of these native states are still in the process offormation, and their position is not commensurate with that ofthe Europeans. In Spanish and Portuguese America, the nativesstill have to liberate themselves from slavery, and in NorthAmerica, they lack a focus of communal existence withoutwhich no state can exist.
Since the original American nation has vanished - or as goodas vanished - the effective population comes for the most partfrom Europe, and everything that happens in America has itsorigin there. The surplus population of Europe has emigrated toAmerica, by a process not unlike that which occurred in formertimes in the imperial German cities. For these cities had manycommercial privileges, and numerous emigrants fled to them inorder to settle nearby so that they might enjoy the same rights asthey did. In this way, Altona grew up near Hamburg, Offenbachnear Frankfurt, Fiirth near Niirnberg, and Carouge near Geneva.Similarly, citizens who had suffered bankruptcy and who couldno longer enjoy the privileges of their trade in the city itself orattend its institutions without disgrace, would settle in the adjoining territory; they would have there all the advantages whichsuch a town can offer - exemption from the dues which the oldercities exacted from them, and from all obligation to belong to aguild. Thus, in the vicinity of the enclosed cities, new settlementsarose in which the same trades were practised, but without thecontrols which the cities imposed upon them. The relationshipbetween North America and Europe is similar. Many Englishmen have settled there, for the burdens and levies which areimposed on trade and commerce in Europe no longer apply inAmerica. They bring with them all the advantagesof civilisation,and are able to practise their skills without interference. Theaccumulation of European methods and skills has enabled themto reap some benefit from the vast areas of hitherto virgin soil.America has also become a place of refuge for the dregs ofEuropean society. Indeed, emigration to America offers manyadvantages, for the emigrants have cast off much that mightrestrict them at home, and they bring with them the benefits ofEuropean self-reliance and European culture without the accompanying disadvantages; and to those who are willing to workhard and who have not found an opportunity to do so in Europe,America certainly offers ample scope.
118
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
Wit
hth
eex
cept
ion
ofB
razi
l,th
est
ates
ofS
outh
Am
eric
aar
ege
nera
lly
repu
blic
s,as
inN
orth
Am
eric
a.B
utif
we
com
pare
Sou
thA
mer
ica
(inc
ludi
ngM
exic
o)w
ith
Nor
thA
mer
ica,
we
disc
over
anas
toni
shin
gco
ntra
st.
Nor
thA
mer
ica
owes
itspr
ospe
rity
toth
egr
owth
ofits
indu
stry
and
popu
lati
onan
dto
civi
lord
eran
dfi
rmly
esta
blis
hed
free
dom
;th
ew
hole
fede
rati
onco
nsti
tute
sa
sing
lest
ate
wit
hva
riou
spo
lit
ical
cent
res.
InS
outh
Am
eric
a,ho
wev
er,
the
repu
blic
sar
eba
sed
sole
lyo
nm
ilit
ary
forc
ean
dth
eir
who
lehi
stor
yis
one
ofco
ntin
uous
revo
luti
on:
fede
rati
ons
ofst
ates
are
diss
olve
dan
dn
ewon
esar
efo
rmed
,an
dal
lth
ese
chan
ges
are
the
prod
uct
ofm
ilit
ary
revo
luti
ons.
The
mor
esp
ecif
icdi
ffer
ence
sbe
twee
nth
etw
opa
rts
ofA
mer
ica
reve
altw
oop
posi
ngte
nden
cies
-th
eon
ein
polit
ics,
and
the
othe
rin
reli
gion
.S
outh
Am
eric
a,in
whi
chth
eS
pani
shse
ttle
dan
das
sert
edth
eir
supr
emac
y,is
Cat
holi
c,w
here
asN
orth
Am
eric
a,al
thou
gha
land
ofin
num
erab
lese
cts,
isfu
ndam
enta
lly
Pro
test
ant.
Afu
rthe
rin
cong
ruit
yis
that
Sou
thA
mer
ica
was
conq
l,1er
ed,
whi
leN
orth
Am
eric
aw
asco
loni
sed.
The
Spa
nish
took
poss
essi
onof
Sou
thA
mer
ica
inor
der
todo
mi
nate
itan
dto
enri
chth
emse
lves
both
thro
ugh
poli
tica
loff
ice
and
byex
acti
ngtr
ibut
esfr
omth
ena
tive
s.L
ivin
gfa
raw
ayfr
omth
em
othe
rco
untr
yo
nw
hich
they
depe
nded
,th
eyha
dm
ore
scop
eto
indu
lge
thei
rar
bitr
ary
incl
inat
ions
;an
dby
forc
e,ad
roit
ness
,an
dse
lf-c
onfi
denc
eth
eyga
ined
agr
eat
prep
onde
ranc
eov
erth
eIn
dian
s.T
heno
ble
and
mag
nani
mou
sas
pect
sof
the
Spa
nish
char
acte
rdi
dn
ota
ccom
pany
them
toA
mer
ica.
The
Cre
oles
,who
are
desc
ende
dfr
omth
eS
pani
shim
mig
rant
s,li
ved
on
inth
epr
esum
ptuo
usw
ays
they
had
inhe
rite
d,an
dbe
have
din
anar
ro
gant
man
ner
tow
ards
the
nati
ves.
The
Cre
oles
wer
eth
emse
lves
subj
ect
toth
ein
flue
nce
ofth
eE
urop
ean
Spa
niar
ds,
and
wer
efi
red
byba
seam
biti
ons
for
rank
and
title
s.T
hepe
ople
live
dun
der
the
infl
uenc
eof
ast
rict
hier
arch
yan
dth
edi
ssol
ute
rule
ofth
ese
cula
ran
dre
gl,1
lar
cler
gy.
The
sepe
ople
sha
vest
illto
extr
ica
teth
emse
lves
from
the
spir
itof
holl
owin
tere
sts
befo
reth
eyca
nat
tain
the
spir
itof
rati
onal
ity
and
free
dom
.T
heN
orth
Am
eric
anst
ates
,ho
wev
er,
wer
een
tire
lyco
loni
sed
byth
eE
urop
eans
.Si
nce
Pur
itan
s,E
pisc
opal
ians
,an
dC
atho
lics
wer
eco
nsta
ntly
atlo
gger
head
sin
Eng
land
,w
ith
each
part
yga
inin
gth
eup
per
hand
intu
rn,
man
yof
them
emig
rate
dto
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
119
anot
her
cont
inen
tin
sear
chof
relig
iol,1
sfr
eedo
m.
The
sew
ere
indu
stri
ous
Eur
opea
nsw
ho
appl
ied
them
selv
esto
agri
cult
ure,
toba
cco
and
cott
onpl
anti
ng,
etc.
Soo
n,th
eir
who
leco
ncer
nw
asw
ith
thei
rw
ork;
and
the
subs
tanc
ew
hich
held
the
who
leto
ge
ther
lay
inth
ene
eds
ofth
epo
pula
ce,
the
desi
refo
rpe
ace,
the
esta
blis
hmen
tof
civi
ljus
tice
,se
curi
ty,
and
free
dom
,an
da
com
m
onw
ealt
hfr
amed
inth
ein
tere
sts
ofth
ein
divi
dual
sas
disc
rete
enti
ties
,so
that
the
stat
ew
asm
erel
yan
exte
rnal
devi
cefo
rth
epr
otec
tion
ofpr
oper
ty.T
hem
utua
lcon
fide
nce
ofin
divi
dual
san
dth
eir
trus
tin
the
good
wil
lof
thei
rfe
llow
sha
dth
eir
sour
cein
the
Pro
test
ant
reli
gion
;fo
rin
the
eyes
ofth
eP
rote
stan
tC
hurc
h,re
ligi
ous
wor
ksco
nsti
tute
the
who
leof
life
and
hu
man
acti
vity
.A
mon
gth
eC
atho
lics,
how
ever
,th
ere
can
ben
ogr
ound
sfo
ran
ysl,
1ch
conf
iden
ce.
For
inw
orld
lyaf
fair
s,fo
rce
and
volu
ntar
ysu
bser
vien
ceru
lesu
prem
e,an
dth
efo
rms
whi
chgo
unde
rth
ena
me
ofco
nsti
tuti
ons
are
inth
isca
sem
erel
ya
nece
ssar
yex
pedi
en
t,of
feri
ngno
prot
ecti
onag
ains
tmis
trus
t.T
hus,
the
popu
lati
onw
hich
has
sett
led
inN
orth
Am
eric
ais
ofa
com
plet
ely
diff
eren
tor
der
from
that
ofS
outh
Am
eric
a.T
hey
had
noun
ited
chur
chto
bind
the
stat
esto
geth
eran
dim
pose
rest
rict
ions
up
on
them
.T
hein
dust
rial
prin
cipl
e·w
asim
port
edfr
omE
ngla
nd,
and
indu
stry
itse
lfco
ntai
nsth
epr
inci
ple
ofin
divi
dual
ity:
for
inin
dust
ry,
the
indi
vidu
alun
ders
tand
ing
isde
velo
ped
and
beco
mes
the
dom
inan
tpow
er.I
nN
orth
Am
eric
a,th
eref
ore,
the
vari
ous
stat
esw
ere
shap
edin
conf
orm
ity
wit
hth
eva
riou
sre
ligi
ons
ofth
eci
tize
ns..
.In
phys
ical
term
s,A
mer
ica
isn
mye
tful
lyde
velo
ped,
and
itis
even
less
adva
nced
inte
rms
ofpo
liti
cal
orga
nisa
tion
..It
isce
rta
inly
anin
depe
nden
tan
dpo
wer
ful
stat
e,b
ut
itis
still
enga
ged
inde
velo
ping
its
pure
lyph
ysic
alas
sets
.O
nly
wh
enth
eco
untr
yis
com
plet
ely
occu
pied
wil
la
firm
lyes
tabl
ishe
dor
der
bein
tro
duce
d.S
uch
rudi
men
tsas
alre
ady
exis
tar
eof
aE
urop
ean
char
ac
ter.
For
the
mom
ent,
the
surp
lus
popu
lati
onof
the
Eur
opea
nst
ates
can
cont
inue
tose
ttle
ther
e;b
ut
wh
enth
isco
mes
toan
end,
the
who
lew
illt
urn
inu
po
nit
self
and
beco
me
cons
olid
ated
.It
isth
eref
ore
no
tyet
poss
ible
todr
awan
yle
sson
sfr
omA
mer
ica
asre
gard
sre
publ
ican
cons
titu
tion
s.C
onse
quen
tly,
this
stat
edo
esn
ot
real
lyco
ncer
nus
,an
ym
ore
than
doth
eot
her
Am
eric
anst
ates
whi
char
est
illst
rugg
ling
for
inde
pend
ence
.O
nly
itsex
ter-
118 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
With the exception of Brazil, the states of South America aregenerally republics, as in North America. But if we compareSouth America (including Mexico) with North America, wediscover an astonishing contrast.
North America owes its prosperity to the growth of its industryand population and to civil order and firmly established freedom;the whole federation constitutes a single state with various political centres. In South America, however, the republics arebased solely on military force and their whole history is one ofcontinuous revolution: federations of states are dissolved andnew ones are formed, and all these changes are the product ofmilitary revolutions. The more specific differences between thetwo parts of AJnerica reveal two opposing tendencies - the one inpolitics, and the other in religion. South America, in which theSpanish settled and asserted their supremacy, is Catholic,whereas North America, although a land of innumerable sects, isfundamentally Protestant. A further incongruity is that SouthAmerica was conquered, while North America was colonised.The Spanish took possession of South America in order to dominate it and to enrich themselves both through political office andby exacting tributes from the natives. Living far away from themother country on which they depended, they had more scopeto indulge their arbitrary inclinations; and by force, adroitness,and self-confidence they gained a great preponderance over theIndians. The noble and magnanimous aspects of the Spanishcharacter did not accompany them to America. The Creoles, whoare descended from the Spanish immigrants, lived on in thepresumptuous ways they had inherited, and behaved in an arrogant manner towards the natives. The Creoles were themselvessubject to the influence of the European Spaniards, and werefired by base ambitions for rank and titles. The people livedunder the influence of a strict hierarchy and the dissolute rule ofthe secular and regular clergy. These peoples have still to extricate themselves from the spirit of hollow interests before theycan attain the spirit of rationality and freedom.
The North American states, however, were entirely colonisedby the Europeans. Since Puritans, Episcopalians, and Catholicswere constantly at loggerheads in England, with each partygaining the upper hand in tum, many of them emigrated to
"Geographical Basis of World History" 119
another continent in search of religious freedom. These wereindustrious Europeans who applied themselves to agriculture,tobacco and cotton planting, etc. Soon, their whole concern waswith their work; and the substance which held the whole together lay in the needs of the populace, the desire for peace, theestablishment of civil justice, security, and freedom, and a commonwealth framed in the interests of the individuals as discreteentities, so that the state was merely an external device for theprotection of property. The mutual confidence of individuals andtheir trust in the goodwill of their fellows had their source in theProtestant religion; for in the eyes of the Protestant Church,religious works constitute the whole of life and human activity.Among the Catholics, however, there can be no grounds for anysuch confidence. For in worldly affairs, force and voluntarysubservience rule supreme, and the forms which go under thename of constitutions are in this case merely a necessary expedient, offering no protection against mistrust. Thus, the populationwhich has settled in North America is of a completely differentorder from that of South America. They had no united church tobind the states together and impose restrictions upon them. Theindustrial principle·was imported from England, and industryitself contains the principle of individuality: for in industry,the individual understanding is developed and becomes thedominant power. In North America, therefore, the various stateswere shaped in conformity with the various religions of thecitizens ...
In physical terms, America is npt yet fully developed, and it iseven less advanced in terms of political organisation..It is certainly an independent and powerful state, but it is stilI engagedin developing its purely physical assets. Only when the countryis completely occupied will a firmly established order be introduced. Such rudiments as already exist are of a European character. For the moment, the surplus population of the Europeanstates can continue to settle there; but when this comes to anend, the whole will tum in upon itself and become consolidated.It is therefore not yet possible to draw any lessons from Americaas regards republican constitutions. Consequently, this state doesnot really concern us, any more than do the other Americanstates which are still struggling for independence. Only its exter-
120
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
nal
rela
tion
sw
ith
Eur
ope
com
ein
toco
nsid
erat
ion,
inas
muc
has
Am
eric
ais
anan
nex
whi
chha
sac
com
mod
ated
the
surp
lus
popu
lati
onof
Eur
ope
...
Am
eric
ais
ther
efor
eth
eco
untr
yof
the
futu
re,
and
itsw
orld
hi
stor
ical
impo
rtan
ceha
sye
tto
bere
veal
edin
the
ages
whi
chlie
ahea
d-
perh
aps
ina
conf
lict
betw
een
Nor
than
dS
outh
Am
eric
a.It
isa
land
ofde
sire
for
allt
hose
wh
oar
ew
eary
ofth
ehi
stor
ical
arse
nal
ofol
dE
urop
e..
.N
apol
eon
issa
idto
have
rem
arke
d:C
ette
viei
lleE
urop
em
'enn
uie.
Itis
upto
Am
eric
ato
aban
don
the
grou
ndo
nw
hich
wor
ldhi
stor
yha
shi
ther
tobe
enen
acte
d.W
hat
has
take
npl
ace
ther
eup
ton
ow
isbu
tan
echo
ofth
eO
ldW
orld
and
the
expr
essi
onof
anal
ien
life;
and
asa
coun
try
ofth
efu
ture
,.i
t is
ofno
inte
rest
tous
here
,fo
rpr
ophe
cyis
not
the
busi
ness
ofth
eph
ilos
ophe
r.
Th
eO
ldW
orld
Put
ting
asid
eth
eN
ewW
orld
and
wha
teve
rdr
eam
sw
em
ight
buil
du
po
nit,
we
no
wpa
sso
nto
the
Old
Wor
ld.
Itis
esse
ntia
lly
the
sett
ing
ofth
ose
even
tsw
hich
we
have
toco
nsid
erhe
re,
Le.
the
sett
ing
ofw
orld
hist
ory.
Her
eag
ain,
we
mus
tfi
rst
dire
ctou
rat
tent
ion
toth
em
omen
tsan
dde
term
inat
ions
ofna
ture
.Am
eric
ais
split
upin
totw
opa
rts,
and
alth
ough
thes
ear
eco
nnec
ted
byan
isth
mus
,th
eco
nnec
tion
ison
lya
supe
rfic
ial
one.
The
Old
Wor
ldco
nsis
tsof
thre
epa
rts,
asth
eA
ncie
nts,
wit
hth
eir
eye
for
natu
re,
corr
ectl
ydi
scer
ned.
The
sedi
visi
ons
are
no
tfo
rtui
tous
,b
ut
the
expr
essi
onof
ahi
gher
nece
ssit
yw
hich
acco
rds
wit
hth
eun
derl
yin
gco
ncep
t.T
hew
hole
char
acte
rof
itste
rrit
orie
sis
com
pose
dof
thre
edi
stin
ctel
emen
ts,a
ndth
istr
ipar
tite
divi
sion
isno
tarb
itra
rybu
tsp
irit
ual,
for
itis
esse
ntia
lly
base
do
nde
term
inat
ions
ofna
ture
.T
heth
ree
cont
inen
tsof
the
Old
Wor
ldar
eth
eref
ore
esse
ntia
lly
rela
ted,
and
they
com
bine
tofo
rma
tota
lity
.T
heir
dist
ingu
ishi
ngfe
atur
eis
that
they
all
liear
ound
ase
aw
hich
prov
ides
them
wit
ha
focu
san
da
mea
nsof
com
mun
icat
ion.
Thi
sis
anex
trem
ely
impo
rtan
tfa
ctor
.F
orth
eco
nnec
ting
link
be
twee
nth
ese
thre
eco
ntin
ents
,th
eM
edite
rran
ean,
isth
efo
cus
ofth
ew
hole
ofw
orld
hist
ory.
:With
itsm
any
inle
ts,
itis
not
anoc
ean
whi
chst
retc
hes
ou
tin
defi
nite
lyan
dto
whi
chm
anha
sa
pure
lyne
gati
vere
lati
onsh
ip;
on
the
cont
rary
,itp
osit
ivel
yin
vite
s
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
istor
y"12
1
him
tove
ntur
eo
utl
Jpon
it.T
heM
edit
erra
nean
Sea
isth
eax
isof
wor
ldhi
stor
y.A
llth
egr
eats
tate
sof
anci
enth
isto
rylie
arou
ndit,
and
itis
the
nave
lof
the
eart
h.G
reec
e,th
atre
sple
nden
tlig
htof
hist
ory,
lies
ther
e.T
hen
inSy
ria,
Jeru
sale
mis
the
cent
reof
Juda
ism
and
Chr
isti
anit
y;so
uth-
east
ofit
lieM
ecca
and
Med
ina,
the
foun
tain
head
ofth
eM
osle
mfa
ith;
toth
ew
estl
ieD
elph
ian
dA
then
s,w
ith
Rom
ean
dC
arth
age
furt
her
wes
tst
ill;
and
toth
eso
uth
lies
Ale
xand
ria,
anev
engr
eate
rce
ntre
than
Con
stan
tino
pl
ein
whi
chth
esp
irit
ualf
usio
nof
east
and
wes
ttoo
kpl
ace.
The
Med
iter
rane
anis
ther
efor
eth
ehe
arto
fth
eO
ldW
orld
,its
cond
iti
onin
gan
dvi
tali
sing
prin
cipl
e.It
isth
ece
ntre
ofw
orld
hist
ory,
inso
far
asth
ela
tter
poss
esse
san
yin
tern
alco
here
nce.
Wor
ldhi
stor
yw
ould
bein
conc
eiva
ble
wit
hout
it;it
wou
ldbe
like
an
cien
tR
ome
orA
then
sw
itho
utth
efo
rum
orst
reet
whe
real
lth
elif
eof
the
city
conv
erge
d.T
hew
hole
east
ern
part
ofA
sia
isre
mot
efr
omth
eC
l,lfr
ento
fw
orld
hist
ory
and
play
sno
part
init;
the
sam
eap
plie
sto
the
no
rth
ofE
urop
e,w
hich
appe
ared
inw
orld
hist
ory
only
ata
late
rdat
ean
dha
dn
osh
are
init
inan
cien
tti
mes
;fo
ran
cien
thi
stor
yw
asst
rict
lyco
nfin
edto
the
coun
trie
sar
ound
the
Med
iter
rane
an.
Juli
usC
aesa
r'scr
ossi
ngof
the
Alp
s,th
eco
nque
stof
Gau
l,an
dth
ere
sult
ant
cont
act
betw
een
the
Ger
man
icpe
ople
san
dth
eR
oman
Em
pire
,w
ere
epoc
hmak
ing
even
tsin
wor
ldhi
stor
y;fo
rw
orld
hist
ory
cros
sed
the
Alp
sal
ong
wit
hth
em.
The
east
ern
par
tofA
sia
ison
eex
trem
ean
dth
ela
nds
toth
en
ort
hof
the
Alp
sar
eth
eot
her.
The
east
ern
port
ion
lives
on
init
sm
onol
ithi
cun
ity;
itdo
esn
ot
ente
rin
toth
em
ovem
ent
ofw
orld
hist
ory,
whi
chta
kes
plac
era
ther
atth
eot
her
extr
eme,
atth
ew
este
rnen
d.T
hela
nds
whi
chlie
beyo
ndSy
ria
cons
titu
teth
ebe
ginn
ing
ofw
orld
hist
ory,
and
this
begl
llni
ngit
self
lies
susp
ende
d,as
itw
ere,
outs
ide
the
hist
oric
alpr
oces
s;th
eoc
cide
ntal
port
ion
mar
ksth
een
dof
this
proc
ess,
and
its
agit
ated
cent
relie
sar
ound
the
Med
iter
rane
an.T
hela
tter
isa
maj
orn
atu
ra
lfe
atur
e,an
dits
infl
uenc
eis
trul
yco
nsid
erab
le;
we
cann
otco
ncei
veof
the
hist
oric
alpr
oces
sw
itho
utth
ece
ntra
lan
dun
ify
ing
elem
ent
ofth
ese
a.W
eha
veal
read
ysp
ecif
ied
the
geog
raph
ical
dist
inct
ions
whi
chca
nbe
obse
rved
wit
hin
each
cont
inen
tas
aw
hole
-th
eup
land
regi
ons,
the
broa
dri
verv
alle
ys,a
nd
the
coas
tall
ands
.The
yoc
cur
inal
lth
ree
cont
inen
tsof
the
Old
Wor
ld,
soth
atw
eca
ncl
assi
fyth
ese
acco
rdin
gto
whi
chof
the
thre
epr
inci
ples
isdo
min
ant
120 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
nal relations with Europe come into consideration, inasmuch asAmerica is an annex which has accommodated the surpluspopulation of Europe ...
America is therefore the country of the future, and its worldhistorical importance has yet to be revealed in the ages which lieahead - perhaps in a conflict between North and South America.It is a land of desire for all those who are weary of the historicalarsenal of old Europe ... Napoleon is said to have remarked:Cette vieille Europe m'ennuie. It is up to America to abandon theground on which world history has hitherto been enacted. Whathas taken place there up to now is but an echo of the Old Worldand the expression of an alien life; and as a country of the future,
.it is of no interest to us here, for prophecy is not the business ofthe philosopher.
The Old World
Putting aside the New World and whatever dreams we mightbuild upon it, we now pass on to the Old World. It is essentiallythe setting of those events which we have to consider here, Le.the setting of world history. Here again, we must first direct ourattention to the moments and determinations of nature. Americais split up into two parts, and although these are connected by anisthmus, the connection is only a superficial one. The Old Worldconsists of three parts, as the Ancients, with their eye for nature,correctly discerned. These divisions are not fortuitous, but theexpression of a higher necessity which accords with the underlying concept. The whole character of its territories is composed ofthree distinct elements, and this tripartite division is not arbitrarybut spiritual, for it is essentially based on determinations ofnature. The three continents of the Old World are thereforeessentially related, and they combine to form a totality. Theirdistinguishing feature is that they all lie around a sea whichprovides them with a focus and a means of communication. Thisis an extremely important factor. For the connecting link between these three continents, the Mediterranean, is the focus ofthe whole of world history. :With its many inlets, it is not anocean which stretches out indefinitely and to which man has apurely negative relationship; on the contrary, it positively invites
"Geographical Basis ofWorld History" 121
him to venture out lJ.pon it. The Mediterranean Sea is the axis ofworld history. All the great states of ancient history lie around it,and it is the navel of the earth. Greece, that resplendent light ofhistory, lies there. Then in Syria, Jerusalem is the centre ofJudaism and Christianity; south-east of it lie Mecca and Medina,the fountainhead of the Moslem faith; to the west lie Delphi andAthens, with Rome and Carthage further west still; and to thesouth lies Alexandria, an even greater centre than Constantinople in which the spiritual fusion of east and west took place. TheMediterranean is therefore the heart of the Old World, its conditioning and vitalising principle. It is the centre of world history,in so far as the latter possesses any internal coherence. Worldhistory would be inconceivable without it; it would be like ancient Rome or Athens without the forum or street where all thelife of the city converged. The whole eastern part of Asia isremote from the current of world history and plays no part in it;the same applies to the north of Europe, which appeared inworld history only at a later date and had no share in it in ancienttimes; for ancient history was strictly confined to the countriesaround the Mediterranean. Julius Caesar's crossing of the Alps,the conquest of Gaul, and the resultant contact between theGermanic peoples and the Roman Empire, were epochmakingevents in world history; for world history crossed the Alps alongwith them. The eastern part of Asia is one extreme and the landsto the north of the Alps are the other. The eastern portion liveson in its monolithic unity; it does not enter into the movementof world history, which takes place rather at the other extreme,at the western end. The lands which lie beyond Syria constitutethe beginning of world history, and this beglllning itself liessuspended, as it were, outside the historical process; theoccidental portion marks the end of this process, and its agitatedcentre lies around the Mediterranean. The latter is a major natural feature, and its influence is truly considerable; we cannotconceive of the historical process without the central and unifying element of the sea.
We have already specified the geographical distinctions whichcan be observed within each continent as a whole - the uplandregions, the broad river valleys, and the coastal lands. They occurin all three continents of the Old World, so that we can classifythese according to which of the three principles is dominant
122
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
wit
hin
them
.A
fric
a,ge
nera
lly
spea
king
,is
the
cont
inen
tin
whi
chth
eup
land
prin
cipl
e,th
epr
inci
ple
ofcu
ltur
alba
ckw
ard
ness
,pr
edom
inat
es.
Asi
a,o
nth
eot
her
hand
,is
the
cont
inen
t
inw
hich
the
grea
tan
tith
eses
com
ein
toco
nflic
t,al
thou
ghits
dist
ingu
ishi
ngfe
atur
eis
the
seco
ndpr
inci
ple,
that
ofth
ebr
oad
rive
rva
lleys
;th
ese
supp
ort
acu
ltur
ew
hich
broo
dsfo
rev
er
wit
hin
itsel
f.T
heto
tali
tyco
nsis
tsin
the
unio
nof
all
thre
epr
in
cipl
es'a
nd
this
isto
befo
und
inE
urop
e,th
eco
ntin
enti
nw
hich
the
spir
itis
unit
edw
ith
itsel
f,an
dw
hich
,w
hile
reta
inin
gits
own
solid
subs
tanc
e,ha
sem
bark
edu
po
nth
atin
fini
tepr
oces
s
whe
reby
cult
ure
isre
alis
edin
prac
tice
.(T
heon
lypr
inci
ple
left
over
for
Am
eric
aw
ould
beth
atof
inco
mpl
eten
ess
orco
nsta
nt
non-
fulf
ilm
ent.
)T
hesp
irit
ualc
hara
cter
ofth
eth
ree
cont
inen
ts
vari
esin
acco
rdan
cew
ith
thes
ena
tura
ldi
ffer
ence
s.In
Afr
ica
prop
er,
man
has
no
tpro
gres
sed
beyo
nda
mer
ely
sens
uous
exis
t
ence
,an
dha
sfo
und
itab
solu
tely
impo
ssib
leto
deve
lop
any
furt
her.
Phys
ical
ly,
heex
hibi
tsgr
eat
mus
cula
rst
reng
th,
whi
ch
enab
les
him
tope
rfor
mar
duou
sla
bour
s;an
dhi
ste
mpe
ram
enti
s
char
acte
rise
dby
good
-nat
ured
ness
,w
hich
isco
uple
d,ho
wev
er,
wit
hco
mpl
etel
yun
feel
ing
crue
lty.
Asi
ais
the
land
ofan
tith
esis
,
divi
sion
,an
dex
pans
ion,
just
asA
fric
ais
the
land
ofco
ncen
tra
tion
.O
nepo
leof
the
anti
thes
isis
that
ofet
hica
llif
e,th
eun
iver
sal
rati
onal
esse
nce
whi
chre
mai
nsso
lid
and
subs
tant
ial;
the
othe
r
isth
eex
act
spir
itua
lop
posi
te,
that
ofeg
otis
m,
infi
nite
desi
res,
and
boun
dles
sex
pans
ion
offr
eedo
m.
Eur
ope
isth
ela
ndof
spir
itua
lun
ity,
ofre
trea
tfr
omth
isbo
undl
ess
free
dom
into
the
part
icul
ar,
ofco
ntro
lof
the
imm
oder
ate
and
elev
atio
nof
the
part
icul
arto
the
univ
ersa
l,an
dof
the
desc
ent
ofth
esp
irit
into
itsel
f.It
was
Ritte
rwho
form
ulat
edth
ese
dist
inct
ions
betw
een
the
cont
inen
tsan
dex
pres
sed
them
ina
dire
ctan
dta
ngib
lefo
rm.
His
wor
ksof
fer
inte
rest
ing
side
ligh
tso
nth
ehi
stor
ical
impl
icat
ions
of
geog
raph
y.
Afr
ica
Gen
eral
lysp
eaki
ng,
Afr
ica
isa
cont
inen
ten
clos
edw
ithi
nits
elf,
and
this
encI
osed
ness
has
rem
aine
dits
chie
fch
arac
teri
stic
.It
cons
ists
ofth
ree
part
s,w
hich
are
esse
ntia
lly
dist
inct
from
one
anot
her.
The
divi
sion
sin
itsge
ogra
phic
alco
nfig
urat
ion
are
so
pron
ounc
edth
atev
enth
edi
ffer
ence
sin
itssp
irit
ual
char
acte
r
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
123
rem
ain
tied
toth
ese
phys
ical
pecu
liar
itie
s.O
nem
ight
alm
osts
ay
that
Afr
ica
cons
ists
ofth
ree
cont
inen
tsw
hich
are
enti
rely
sepa
rate
from
one
anot
her,
and
betw
een
whi
chth
ere
isn
oco
ntac
t
wha
tsoe
ver.
The
firs
tof
thes
eis
Afr
ica
prop
er,
the
land
toth
e
sout
hof
the
Sah
ara
dese
rt;
itco
nsis
tsof
alm
ost
enti
rely
unex
plor
edhi
ghla
nds
wit
hna
rrow
coas
tals
trip
sal
ong
itssh
ores
.T
he
seco
ndis
the
land
toth
en
ort
hof
the
dese
rt,
aco
asta
lre
gion
whi
chm
ight
bede
scri
bed
asE
urop
ean
Afr
ica.
And
the
thir
dis
the
regi
onof
the
Nile
,th
eon
lyva
lley
land
ofA
fric
a,w
hich
is
clos
ely
conn
ecte
dw
ith
Asi
a.N
orth
Afr
ica
lies
on
the
Med
iter
rane
anSe
aan
dex
tend
sw
est
war
dsal
ong
the
Atl
anti
c;it
isse
para
ted
from
sout
hern
Afr
ica
by
the
grea
tde
sert
-a
wat
erle
ssse
a-
and
byth
eR
iver
Nig
er.
The
dese
rtis
am
ore
effe
ctiv
edi
visi
onth
anth
ese
a,an
dth
ech
arac
ter
ofth
epe
ople
wh
oli
veim
med
iate
lyo
nth
eN
iger
reve
als
the
diff
eren
cebe
twee
nth
etw
ore
gion
spa
rtic
ular
lycl
earl
y.T
he
nort
hern
regi
onst
retc
hes
acro
ssto
Egy
pt,
inte
rspe
rsed
wit
hn
u
mer
ous
sand
yw
aste
sto
the
no
rth
and
trav
erse
dby
rang
esof
mou
ntai
ns;
betw
een
the
mou
ntai
nslie
fert
ileva
lleys
,w
hich
mak
eit
one
ofth
em
ost
frui
tful
and
attr
acti
veof
terr
itor
ies.
It
incl
udes
the
coun
trie
sof
Mor
occo
,Fa
s(n
otFe
z),
Alg
eria
,T
unis
,
and
Tri
poli.
Itco
uld
besa
idth
atth
isw
hole
regi
ondo
esn
otr
eall
y
belo
ngto
Afr
ica
bu
tfo
rms
asi
ngle
un
itw
ith
Spa
in,
for
bo
thar
e
part
ofon
ean
dth
esa
me
basi
n.W
ith
this
inm
ind,
the
prol
ific
Fre
nch
wri
ter
and
poli
tici
ande
Prad
tlha
ssa
idth
at,
inS
pain
,on
e
isal
read
yin
Afr
ica.
Thi
sn
ort
her
nre
gion
isth
eno
n-in
depe
nden
t
port
ion
ofA
fric
a,fo
rit
has
alw
ays
bee
nsu
bjec
tto
fore
ign
infl
u
ence
s;it
isn
oti
tsel
fa
thea
tre
ofw
orld
-his
tori
cale
vent
s,an
dha
s
alw
ays
been
depe
nden
to
nre
volu
tion
sof
aw
ider
scop
e.It
was
orig
inal
lyco
loni
sed
byth
eP
hoen
icia
ns,
wh
oes
tabl
ishe
dth
em
selv
esas
an·i
ndep
ende
ntpo
wer
inC
arth
age,
then
byth
eR
o
man
s,th
eV
anda
ls,
the
Rom
ans
ofth
eB
yzan
tine
Em
pire
,th
e
Ara
bs,
and
fina
llyby
the
Tur
ks,
un
der
wh
om
itdi
ssol
ved
into
vari
ous
pira
tica
lst
ates
.It
isa
coun
try
whi
chm
erel
ysh
ares
the
fort
unes
ofgr
eat
even
tsen
acte
del
sew
here
,b
ut
whi
chha
sno
dete
rmin
ate
.cha
ract
erof
its
own.
Thi
spo
rtio
nof
Afr
ica,
like
the
Nea
rE
ast,
isor
ient
ated
tow
ards
Eur
ope;
itsh
ould
and
mus
tbe
1D
omin
icD
ufou
rde
Pra
dt,
Mim
oire
shi
storiq
ues
sur
lari
volu
tion
d'Es
pagn
e
(181
6).
122 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
within them. Africa, generally speaking, is the continent inwhich the upland principle, the principle of cultural backwardness, predominates. Asia, on the other hand, is the continentin which the great antitheses come into conflict, although itsdistinguishing feature is the second principle, that of the broadriver valleys; these support a culture which broods for everwithin itself. The totality consists in the union of all three principles, and this is to be found in Europe, the continent in whichthe spirit is united with itself, and which, while retaining itsown solid substance, has embarked upon that infinite processwhereby culture is realised in practice. (The only principle leftover for America would be that of incompleteness or constantnon-fulfilment.) The spiritual character of the three continentsvaries in accordance with these natural differences. In Africaproper, man has not progressed beyond a merely sensuous existence, and has found it absolutely impossible to develop anyfurther. Physically, he exhibits great muscular strength, whichenables him to perform arduous labours; and his temperament ischaracterised by good-naturedness, which is coupled, however,with completely unfeeling cruelty. Asia is the land of antithesis,division, and expansion, just as Africa is the land of concentration. One pole of the antithesis is that of ethical life, the universalrational essence which remains solid and substantial; the otheris the exact spiritual opposite, that of egotism, infinite desires,and boundless expansion of freedom. Europe is the land ofspiritual unity, of retreat from this boundless freedom into theparticular, of control of the immoderate and elevation of theparticular to the universal, and of the descent of the spirit intoitself. It was Ritter who formulated these distinctions between thecontinents and expressed them in a direct and tangible form. Hisworks offer interesting sidelights on the historical implications ofgeography.
Africa
Generally speaking, Africa is a continent enclosed within itself,and this enclosedness has remained its chief characteristic. Itconsists of three parts, which are essentially distinct from oneanother. The divisions in its geographical configuration are sopronounced that even the differences in its spiritual character
"Geographical Basis ofWorld History" 123
remain tied to these physical peculiarities. One might almost saythat Africa consists of three continents which are entirely separate from one another, and between which there is no contactwhatsoever. The first of these is Africa proper, the land to thesouth of the Sahara desert; it consists of almost entirely unexplored highlands with narrow coastal strips along its shores. Thesecond is the land to the north of the desert, a coastal regionwhich might be described as European Africa. And the third isthe region of the Nile, the only valley land of Africa, which isclosely connected with Asia.
North Africa lies on the Mediterranean Sea and extends westwards along the Atlantic; it is separated from southern Africa bythe great desert - a waterless sea - and by the River Niger. Thedesert is a more effective division than the sea, and the characterof the people who live immediately on the Niger reveals thedifference between the two regions particularly clearly. Thenorthern region stretches across to Egypt, interspersed with numerous sandy wastes to the north and traversed by ranges ofmountains; between the mountains lie fertile valleys, whichmake it one of the most fruitful and attractive of territories. Itincludes the countries of Morocco, Fas (not Fez), Algeria, Tunis,and Tripoli. It could be said that this whole region does not reallybelong to Africa but forms a single unit with Spain, for both arepart of one and the same basin. With this in mind, the prolificFrench writer and politician de Pradt1 has said that, in Spain, oneis already in Africa. This northern region is the non-independentportion of Africa, for it has always been subject to foreign influences; it is not itself a theatre of world-historical events, and hasalways been dependent on revolutions of a wid1:r scope. It wasoriginally colonised by the Phoenicians, who established themselves as an· independent power in Carthage, then by the Romans, the Vandals, the Romans of the Byzantine Empire, theArabs, and finally by the Turks, under whom it dissolved intovarious piratical states. It is a country which merely shares the·fortunes of great events enacted elsewhere, but which has nodeterminate .character of its own. This portion of Africa, like theNear East, is orientated towards Europe; it should and must be
1 Dominic Dufour de Pradt, Memoires historiques sur la revolution d'Espagne(1816).
124
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
brou
ght
into
the
Eur
opea
nsp
here
ofin
flue
nce,
asth
eF
renc
hha
vesu
cces
sful
lyat
tem
pted
inre
cent
tim
es.
Egyp
t,th
ela
ndof
the
Nile
,de
pend
so
nth
isri
ver
for
itsen
tire
exis
tenc
ean
dlif
e.U
nlik
eN
orth
Afr
ica,
itis
one
ofth
ose
regi
ons
whi
chw
eha
vede
scri
bed
asco
nsti
tuti
nga
focu
s,as
dest
ined
tobe
com
eth
ece
ntre
ofa
grea
tan
din
depe
nden
tcu
ltur
e.It
does
have
anas
soci
atio
nw
ith
the
Med
iter
rane
an,
anas
soci
atio
nw
hich
was
atfi
rst
inte
rrup
ted
bu
tth
enin
tens
ivel
ycu
ltiv
ated
ata
late
rda
te.
Afr
ica
prop
eris
the
char
acte
rist
icpa
rtof
the
who
leco
ntin
enta
ssu
ch.
We
have
chos
ento
exam
ine
this
cont
inen
tfir
st,
beca
use
itca
nw
ell
beta
ken
asan
tece
dent
too
ur
mai
nen
quir
y.It
has
nohi
stor
ical
inte
rest
ofits
own,
for
we
find
itsin
habi
tant
sliv
ing
inba
rbar
ism
and
sava
gery
ina
land
whi
chha
sno
tfu
rnis
hed
them
wit
han
yin
tegr
alin
gred
ient
ofcu
ltur
e.F
rom
the
earl
iest
hist
ori
cal
tim
es,
Afr
ica
has
rem
aine
dcu
tof
ffr
omal
lco
ntac
tsw
ith
the
rest
ofth
ew
orld
;it
isth
ela
ndof
gold
,fo
rev
erpr
essi
ngin
up
on
itsel
f,an
dth
ela
ndof
chil
dhoo
d,re
mov
edfr
omth
eli
ght
ofse
lf
cons
ciou
shi
stor
yan
dw
rapp
edin
the
dark
man
tle
ofni
ght.
Its
isol
atio
nis
notj
usta
resu
ltof
itstr
opic
alna
ture
,bu
tan
esse
ntia
lco
nseq
uenc
eof
itsge
ogra
phic
alch
arac
ter.
Itis
still
unex
plor
ed,
and
has
noco
nnec
tion
sw
hats
oeve
rw
ith
Eur
ope.
For
occu
pati
onof
itsco
asts
has
notl
edth
eE
urop
eans
tope
netr
ate
itsin
teri
or.I
tssh
ape
isth
atof
atr
iang
le:
toth
ew
est
lies
the
Atl
anti
cco
ast,
whi
chfo
rms
ade
epin
dent
atio
nin
the
Gul
fof
Gui
nea,
toth
eea
stlie
sth
eco
asto
fth
eIn
dian
Oce
anfr
omth
eC
ape
ofG
ood
Hop
eto
Cap
eG
uard
afui
,an
dto
tl;le
nort
h,th
ede
sert
and
the
Nig
er.
The
nort
hern
part
isin
the
proc
ess
ofac
quir
ing
an
ewch
arac
ter
thro
ugh
cont
act
wit
hth
eE
urop
eans
.T
hem
ain
char
acte
rist
icof
Afr
ica
prop
eris
that
itap
pear
sto
bepr
edom
inan
tly
anup
land
regi
on,
and
inpa
rtic
ular
,th
atit
has
ave
ryna
rrow
coas
tal
stri
p,ha
bita
ble
only
ina
few
isol
ated
spot
s.T
hene
xtre
gion
tow
ards
the
inte
rior
,in
alm
ost
ever
yca
se,
isa
belt
ofsw
ampl
and;
itlie
sat
the
foot
ofa
circ
leof
high
mou
ntai
nsw
hich
are
brok
enon
lyat
rare
inte
rval
sby
rive
rs,
and
even
thes
edo
no
taf
ford
am
eans
ofac
cess
toth
ein
teri
or:
for
the
gaps
they
form
are
neve
rfa
rfr
omth
eto
psof
the
mou
ntai
nra
nges
,cr
eati
ngon
lya
few
narr
owop
enin
gsw
hich
are
ofte
nbl
ocke
dby
impa
ssab
lew
ater
fa
llsan
dra
ging
cros
s-cu
rren
ts.
The
nort
hof
Afr
ica
prop
eral
soap
pear
sto
becu
tof
fby
abe
ltof
mou
ntai
ns-
the
Mou
ntai
nsof
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
125
the
Moo
nto
the
sout
hof
the
Nig
er.T
heco
asta
lstr
ipof
Afr
ica
has
bee
noc
cupi
edfo
rce
ntur
ies
byE
urop
eans
;b
ut
they
did
no
tsu
ccee
din
reac
hing
the
inte
rior
unti
lap
prox
imat
ely
fift
een
year
sag
o.A
tth
eC
ape
ofG
ood
Hop
e,th
em
issi
onar
ies
have
rece
ntly
cros
sed
the
mou
ntai
nsin
toth
ein
teri
or.
Eur
opea
nsha
vese
ttle
do
nth
eco
asta
lst
rip
inse
vera
lpl
aces
:o
nth
eea
stco
ast
inM
ozam
biqu
e,an
do
nth
ew
est
coas
tin
the
Con
goan
dL
oang
ore
gion
s,o
nth
eS
eneg
al,
whi
chfl
ows
thro
ugh
sand
yde
sert
san
dm
ount
ains
,an
do
nth
eG
ambi
a;b
utt
hrou
ghou
tth
eth
ree
toth
ree-
and-
a-ha
lfce
ntur
ies
that
they
have
know
nth
eco
asta
lst
rip
and
occu
pied
part
sof
it,th
eyha
veon
lycr
osse
dth
em
ount
ains
ata
few
isol
ated
plac
esan
dfo
rbr
ief
peri
ods
ofti
me,
and
have
now
here
gain
eda
perm
anen
tfo
otin
gbe
yond
them
.T
heco
asta
lst
rip
issa
ndy
inpa
rts
and
inho
spit
able
,b
ut
furt
her
inla
ndit
isne
vert
hele
ssfe
rtile
.B
eyon
dit,
how
ever
,lie
sth
ebe
ltof
swam
plan
d,fu
llof
the
mos
tlux
uria
ntve
geta
tion
;it
isal
soth
eho
me
ofal
lman
ner
ofra
paci
ous
anim
als,
and
itsat
mos
ph
ere
ispe
stil
enti
alan
dal
mos
tpoi
sono
usto
brea
the.
Thi
s,as
inC
eylo
n,ha
sm
ade
itvi
rtua
lly
impo
ssib
leto
reac
hth
ein
teri
or.
The
Eng
lish
and
Por
tugu
ese
have
ofte
nse
ntsu
ffic
ient
troo
psfo
rsu
chex
pedi
tion
s;b
ut
mos
tof
them
have
died
inth
esw
amp
land
s,an
dth
ere
stha
vein~ariably
been
over
com
eby
the
na
tives
.S
ince
som
any
rive
rsru
nth
roug
hth
em
ount
ains
,on
em
ight
wel
lim
agin
eth
atth
ese
wou
ldal
low
acce
ssby
ship
toth
ein
teri
or.
The
Con
go(w
hich
isth
ough
tto
bea
bran
chof
the
Nig
er)
and
the
Ora
nge
Riv
erha
vein
deed
prov
edna
viga
ble
for
shor
tst
retc
hes,
bu
tth
e:p.
they
are
inte
rrup
ted
byfr
eque
ntan
dim
pass
able
wat
erfa
lls.
Giv
enth
ese
natu
ral
cond
itio
ns,
the
Eur
ope
ans
have
gain
edli
ttle
know
ledg
eof
the
Afr
ican
inte
rior
;b
ut
from
tim
eto
tim
e,up
land
trib
esha
vede
scen
ded
from
the
mo
un
ta
ins'
and
disp
laye
dsu
chba
rbar
ous
fero
city
that
itpr
oved
impo
ssi
ble
toes
tabl
ish
any
cont
act
wit
hth
em.
Suc
hou
tbre
aks
occu
rfr
omti
me
toti
me,
and
they
are
amon
gth
eol
dest
trad
itio
nsof
the
Afr
ican
cont
inen
t.In
the
fift
eent
han
dsi
xtee
nth
cent
urie
sin
part
icul
ar,
itis
repo
rted
that
the
mos
tas
sort
edho
sts
ofna
tive
s,-t
erri
ble
hord
es,
desc
ende
dat
seve
ral
wid
ely
sepa
rate
dpo
ints
up
on
the
peac
eful
inha
bita
nts
ofth
esl
opes
and
the
nati
ons
ofth
eco
asts
,dr
ivin
gth
emdo
wn
toth
eed
geof
the
sea.
Asi
mil
arat
tem
ptw
asm
ade
atth
eC
ape
ofG
ood
Hop
e,b
utt
he
assa
ultw
asre
puls
edbe
fore
ith
adpa
ssed
the
mou
ntai
ns.
Sev
eral
nati
ons
on
124 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
brought into the European sphere of influence, as the Frenchhave successfully attempted in recent times.
Egypt, the land of the Nile, depends on this river for its entireexistence and life. Unlike North Africa, it is one of those regionswhich we have described as constituting a focus, as destined tobecome the centre of a great and independent culture. It doeshave an association with the Mediterranean, an associationwhich was at first interrupted but then intensively cultivated ata later date.
Africa proper is the characteristic part of the whole continent assuch. We have chosen to examine this continent first, because itcan well be taken as antecedent to our main enquiry. It has nohistorical interest of its own, for we find its inhabitants living inbarbarism and savagery in a land which has not furnished themwith any integral ingredient of culture. From the earliest historical times, Africa has remained cut off from all contacts with therest of the world; it is the land of gold, for ever pressing in uponitself, and the land of childhood, removed from the light of selfconscious history and wrapped in the dark mantle of night. Itsisolation is not just a result of its tropicalnature, but an essentialconsequence of its geographical character. It is still unexplored,and has no connections whatsoever with Europe. For occupationof its coasts has not led the Europeans to penetrate its interior. Itsshape is that of a triangle: to the west lies the Atlantic coast,which forms a deep indentation in the Gulf of Guinea, to the eastlies the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Cape of Good Hope toCape Guardafui, and to tl;le north, the desert and the Niger. Thenorthern part is in the process of acquiring a new characterthrough contact with the Europeans. The main characteristic ofAfrica proper is that it appears to be predominantly an uplandregion, and in particular, that it has a very narrow coastal strip,habitable only in a few isolated spots. The next region towardsthe interior, in almost every case, is a belt of swampland; it liesat the foot of a circle of high mountains which are broken onlyat rare intervals by rivers, and even these do not afford ameans of access to the interior: for the gaps they form are neverfar from the tops of the mountain ranges, creating only a fewnarrow openings which are often blocked by impassable waterfalls and raging cross-currents. The north of Africa proper alsoappears to be cut off by a belt of mountains - the Mountains of
"Geographical Basis of World History" 125
the Moon to the south of the Niger. The coastal strip of Africa hasbeen occupied for centuries by Europeans; but they did notsucceed in reaching the interior until approximately fifteenyears ago. At the Cape of Good Hope, the missionaries haverecently crossed the mountains into the interior. Europeanshave settled on the coastal strip in several places: on the eastcoast in Mozambique, and on the west coast in the Congo andLoango regions, on the Senegal, which flows through sandydeserts and mountains, and on the Gambia; but throughout thethree to three-and-a-half centuries that they have known thecoastal strip and occupied parts of it, they have only crossedthe mountains at a few isolated places and for brief periods oftime, and have nowhere gained a permanent footing beyondthem. The coastal strip is sandy in parts and inhospitable, butfurther inland it is nevertheless fertile. Beyond it, however, liesthe belt of swampland, full of the most luxuriant vegetation; it isalso the home of all manner of rapacious animals, and its atmosphere is pestilential and almost poisonous to breathe. This, as inCeylon, has made it virtually impossible to reach the interior.The English and Portuguese have often sent sufficient troops forsuch expeditions; but most of them have died in the swamplands, and the rest have in~ariably been overcome by the natives. Since so many rivers run through the mountains, onemight well imagine that these would allow access by ship to theinterior. The Congo (which is thought to be a branch of theNiger) and the Orange River have indeed proved navigable forshort stretches, but thefl they are interrupted by frequent andimpassable waterfalls. Given these natural conditions, the Europeans have gained little knowledge of the African interior; butfrom time to time, upland tribes have descended from the mountains, and displayed such barbarous ferocity that it proved impossible to establish any contact with them. Such outbreaks occurfrom time to time, and they are among the oldest traditions ofthe African continent. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries inparticular, it is reported that the most assorted hosts of natives,
-terrible hordes, descended at several widely separated pointsupon the peaceful inhabitants of the slopes and the nations ofthe coasts, driving them down to the edge of the sea. A similarattempt was made at the Cape of Good Hope, but the assault wasrepulsed before it had passed the mountains. Several nations on
126
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
the
wes
tco
ast
appe
arto
bere
mna
nts
ofsu
chin
curs
ions
;th
eyha
veev
entu
ally
been
subj
ugat
edby
late
rin
vade
rs,
and
redu
ced
toth
em
ost
wre
tche
dco
ndit
ion.
Neg
roho
rdes
have
pour
eddo
wn
acro
ssA
byss
inia
,an
do
nth
eot
her
side
ofth
eco
ntin
ent
too.
Whe
nth
eir
fury
has
abat
ed,
and
wh
enth
eyha
veli
ved
for
ati
me
onth
esl
opes
orin
the
coas
tal
regi
onan
dbe
com
epa
cifi
ed,
they
prov
em
ild
and
indu
stri
ous,
alth
ough
they
seem
edco
m
plet
ely
intr
acta
ble
atth
eti
me
ofth
eir
init
ial
onsl
augh
t.It
isun
cert
ain
whe
ther
thes
eup
heav
als
are
occa
sion
edby
inte
rnal
unre
st,
and
wh
atth
ena
ture
ofth
isun
rest
may
have
been
.Wha
tw
edo
know
ofth
ese
hord
esis
the
cont
rast
inth
eir
beha
viou
rbe
fore
and
afte
rth
eir
incu
rsio
ns:
duri
ngth
eir
war
san
dfo
rays
,th
eybe
have
dw
ith
the
mos
tun
thin
king
inhu
man
ity
and
revo
lt
ing
barb
arit
y,ye
tsu
bseq
uent
ly,
wh
enth
eir
rage
had
died
dow
nan
dpe
ace
was
rest
ored
,the
ybe
have
dw
ith
mil
dnes
sto
war
dsth
eE
urop
eans
wh
enth
eybe
cam
eac
quai
nted
wit
hth
em.
Thi
sw
asth
eca
sew
ith
the
Ful
aan
dM
andi
ngo
peop
les
wh
oin
habi
tth
em
ount
ain
terr
aces
ofS
eneg
alan
dG
ambi
a.In
this
mai
npo
rtio
nof
Afr
ica,
hist
ory
isin
fact
ou
tof
the
questio~.
Life
ther
eco
nsis
tsof
asu
cces
sion
ofco
ntin
gent
happ
emng
san
dsu
rpri
ses.
No
aim
orst
ate
exis
tsw
hose
deve
lop
men
tco
uld
befo
llow
ed;
and
ther
eis
no
subj
ecti
vity
,b
ut
mer
ely
ase
ries
ofsu
bjec
tsw
hode
stro
yon
ean
othe
r.In
the
past
,li
ttle
atte
ntio
nha
sbe
enpa
idto
this
pecu
liar
mod
eof
self
co
nsci
ousn
ess
whi
chth
esp
irit
exhi
bits
inA
fric
a.N
umer
ous
re
port
sha
veco
me
infr
omth
em
ost
dive
rse
regi
ons,
bu
tm
ost
peop
lere
gard
them
asin
cred
ible
;th
eypr
ovid
eus
rath
erw
ith
aco
llec
tion
offe
arfu
lde
tail
sth
anw
ith
ade
term
inat
eim
age
or~rinciple
such
asw
esh
alln
owat
tem
ptto
extr
actf
rom
them
.The
lIte
ratu
reo
na
subj
ect
ofth
iski
ndis
som
ewha
tin
defi
nite
insc
ope,
and
anyo
new
how
ishe
sto
goin
toit
inde
tail
mus
tav
ail
him
self
ofsu
chin
form
atio
nas
isav
aila
ble
inth
eus
eful
wor
ksof
refe
renc
e.T
hebe
stge
nera
lac
coun
tof
Afr
iCa
isth
atpr
ovid
edin
Ritt
er's
geog
raph
y.W
esh
all
now
atte
mpt
tode
fine
the
univ
ersa
lsp
irit
and
form
ofth
eA
fric
anch
arac
ter
inth
eli
ghto
fth
epa
rtic
ular
trai
tsw
hich
such
acco
unts
enum
erat
e.T
his
char
acte
r,ho
wev
er,
isdi
ffic
ultt
oco
mpr
ehen
d,be
caus
eit
isso
tota
lly
diff
eren
tfr
omo
ur
ow
ncu
ltur
e,an
dso
rem
ote
and
alie
nin
rela
tion
toou
ro
wn
mod
eof
cons
ciou
snes
s.W
em
ust
forg
etal
lth
eca
tego
ries
whi
char
efu
n-
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
127
dam
enta
lto
our
ow
nsp
irit
uall
ife,
Le.
the
form
sun
derw
hich
we
norm
ally
subs
ume
the
data
whi
chco
nfro
ntus
;the
diff
icul
tyhe
reis
that
ou
rcu
stom
ary
prec
once
ptio
nsw
ill
still
inev
itab
lyin
trud
ein
all
ou
rde
libe
rati
ons.
Itm
ust
besa
idin
gene
ral
that
,in
the
inte
rior
ofA
fric
a,th
eco
nsci
ousn
ess
ofth
ein
habi
tant
sha
sn
ot
yet
reac
hed
anaw
are
ness
ofan
ysu
bsta
ntia
lan
dob
ject
ive
exis
tenc
e.U
nder
the
head
in
gof
subs
tant
ial
obje
ctiv
ity,
we
mus
tin
clud
eG
od,
the
eter
nal,
just
ice,
natu
re,a
nd
alln
atur
alth
ings
.Wh
enth
esp
irit
ente
rsin
tore
lati
ons
wit
hsu
bsta
ntia
lthi
ngs
such
asth
ese,
itkn
ows
that
itis
depe
nden
tu
po
nth
em;
bu
tit
real
ises
atth
esa
me
tim
eth
atit
isa
valu
ein
itsel
fin
sofa
ras
itis
capa
ble
ofsu
chre
lati
onsh
ips.
But
the
Afr
ican
sha
ven
oty
etat
tain
edth
isre
cogn
itio
nof
the
univ
er
sal;
thei
rna
ture
isas
yet
com
pres
sed
wit
hin
itsel
f;an
dw
hat
we
call
reli
gion
,th
est
ate,
that
whi
chex
ists
inan
dfo
rits
elf
and
poss
esse
sab
solu
teva
lidi
ty-
all
this
isn
ot
yet
pres
ent
toth
em.
The
circ
umst
anti
alre
port
sof
the
mis
sion
arie
sfu
llybe
arth
isou
t,an
dM
oham
med
anis
mse
ems
tobe
the
only
thin
gw
hich
has
brou
ghtt
heN
egro
esat
alln
eare
rto
cult
ure.
The
Moh
amm
edan
sal
sokn
owbe
tter
than
tb;e
Eur
opea
nsh
ow
tope
netr
ate
the
inte
rior
ofth
eco
untr
y.T
hech
arac
teri
stic
feat
ure
ofth
eN
egro
esis
that
thei
rco
n-sc
ious
ness
has
no
tye
tre
ache
dan
awar
enes
sof
any
subs
tant
ial
obje
ctiv
ity
-fo
rex
ampl
e,of
God
orth
ela
w-
inw
hich
the
wil
lof
man
coul
dpa
rtic
ipat
ean
din
whi
chh
eco
uld
beco
me
awar
eof
his
ow
nbe
ing.
The
Afr
ican
,in
his
undi
ffer
enti
ated
and
conc
en
trat
edun
ity,
has
no
tye
tsu
ccee
ded
inm
akin
gth
isdi
stin
ctio
nbe
twee
nhi
mse
lfas
anin
divi
dual
and
his
esse
ntia
lun
iver
sali
ty,
soth
ath
ekn
ows
noth
ing
ofan
abso
lute
bein
gw
hich
isot
her
and
high
erth
anhi
so
wn
self
.Thu
s,m
anas
we
find
him
inA
fric
aha
sn
otp
rogr
esse
dbe
yond
his
imm
edia
teex
iste
nce.
As
soon
asm
anem
erge
sas
ah
um
anbe
ing,
he
stan
dsin
oppo
siti
onto
natu
re,
and
itis
this
alon
ew
hich
mak
esh
ima
hu
man
bein
g.B
utif
he
has
mer
ely
mad
ea
dist
inct
ion
betw
een
hiin
self
and
natu
re,
he
isst
illat
the
firs
tst
age
ofhi
sde
velo
pmen
t:h
eis
dom
inat
edby
pass
ion,
and
isno
thin
gm
ore
than
asa
vage
.All
ou
rob
serv
atio
nsof
Afr
ican
man
show
him
asli
ving
ina
stat
eof
sava
gery
and
barb
aris
m,
and
he
rem
ains
inth
isst
ate
toth
epr
esen
tda
y.T
heN
egro
isan
exam
ple
ofan
imal
man
inal
lhi
ssa
vage
ryan
dla
wle
ssne
ss,a
ndif
we
wis
hto
unde
rsta
ndh
imat
all,
we
mus
tpu
t
126 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
the west coast appear to be remnants of such incursions; theyhave eventually been subjugated by later invaders, and reducedto the most wretched condition. Negro hordes have poureddown across Abyssinia, and on the other side of the continenttoo. When their fury has abated, and when they have lived for atime on the slopes or in the coastal region and become pacified,they prove mild and industrious, although they seemed completely intractable at the time of their initial onslaught. It isuncertain whether these upheavals are occasioned by internalunrest, and what the nature of this unrest may have been. Whatwe do know of these hordes is the contrast in their behaviourbefore and after their incursions: during their wars and forays,they behaved with the most unthinking inhumanity and revolting barbarity, yet subsequently, when their rage had died downand peace was restored, they behaved with mildness towards theEuropeans when they became acquainted with them. This wasthe case with the Fula and Mandingo peoples who inhabit themountain terraces of Senegal and Gambia.
In this main portion of Africa, history is in fact out of thequestio~. Life there consists of a succession of contingenthappemngs and surprises. No aim or state exists whose development could be followed; and there is no subjectivity, butmerely a series of subjects who destroy one another. In thepast, little attention has been paid to this peculiar mode of selfconsciousness which the spirit exhibits in Africa. Numerous reports have come in from the most diverse regions, but mostpeople regard them as incredible; they provide us rather with acollection of fearful details than with a determinate image or~rinciple such as we shall now attempt to extract from them. ThelIterature on a subject of this kind is somewhat indefinite inscope, and anyone who wishes to go into it in detail must availhimself of such information as is available in the useful works ofreference. The best general account of AfriCa is that provided inRitter's geography.
We shall now attempt to define the universal spirit and formof the African character in the light of the particular traits whichsuch accounts enumerate. This character, however, is difficult tocomprehend, because it is so totally different from our ownculture, and so remote and alien in relation to our own mode ofconsciousness. We must forget all the categories which are fun-
"Geographical Basis ofWorld History" 127
damental to our own spiritual life, Le. the forms under which wenormally subsume the data which confront us; the difficulty hereis that our customary preconceptions will still inevitably intrudein all our deliberations.
It must be said in general that, in the interior of Africa, theconsciousness of the inhabitants has not yet reached an awareness of any substantial and objective existence. Under the heading of substantial objectivity, we must include God, the eternal,justice, nature, and all natural things. When the spirit enters intorelations with substantial things such as these, it knows that it isdependent upon them; but it realises at the same time that it isa value in itself in so far as it is capable of such relationships. Butthe Africans have not yet attained this recognition of the universal; their nature is as yet compressed within itself; and what wecall religion, the state, that which exists in and for itself andpossesses absolute validity - all this is not yet present to them.The circumstantial reports of the missionaries fully bear this out,and Mohammedanism seems to be the only thing which hasbrought the Negroes at all nearer to culture. The Mohammedansalso know better than tb;e Europeans how to penetrate theinterior of the country.
The characteristic feature of the Negroes is that their con-sciousness has not yet reached an awareness of any substantialobjectivity - for example, of God or the law - in which the willof man could participate and in which he could become aware ofhis own being. The African, in his undifferentiated and concentrated unity, has not yet succeeded in making this distinctionbetween himself as an individual and his essential universality,so that he knows nothing of an absolute being which is other andhigher than his own self. Thus, man as we find him in Africa hasnot progressed beyond his immediate existence. As soon as manemerges as a human being, he stands in opposition to nature,and it is this alone which makes him a human being. But if hehas merely made a distinction between hiinself and nature, he isstill at the first stage of his development: he is dominated bypassion, and is nothing more than a savage. All our observationsof African man show him as living in a state of savagery andbarbarism, and he remains in this state to the present day. TheNegro is an example of animal man in all his savagery andlawlessness, and if we wish to understand him at all, we must put
128
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
asid
eal
lou
rE
urop
ean
atti
tude
s.W
em
ustn
ott
hink
ofa
spir
itua
lG
odor
ofm
oral
law
s;to
com
preh
end
him
corr
ectl
y,w
em
ust
abst
ract
from
all
reve
renc
ean
dm
oral
ity,
and
from
ever
ythi
ngw
hich
we
call
feel
ing.
All
this
isfo
reig
nto
man
inhi
sim
med
iate
exis
tenc
e,an
dno
thin
gco
nson
ant
wit
hhu
man
ity
isto
befo
und
inhi
sch
arac
ter.
For
this
very
reas
on,
we
cann
otpr
oper
lyfe
elou
rsel
ves
into
his
natu
re,
nom
ore
than
into
that
ofa
dog,
orof
aG
reek
ashe
knee
lsbe
fore
the
stat
ueof
Zeu
s.O
nly
bym
eans
ofth
ough
tca
nw
eac
hiev
eth
isun
ders
tand
ing
ofhi
sna
ture
;fo
rw
eca
non
lyfe
elth
atw
hich
isak
into
our
ow
nfe
elin
gs.
Thu
s,in
Afr
ica
asa
who
le,
we
enco
unte
rwh
atha
sbe
enca
lled
the
stat
eof
inno
cenc
e,in
whi
chm
ansu
ppos
edly
lives
inun
ity
wit
hG
odan
dna
ture
.F
orin
this
stat
e,m
anis
asye
tun
cons
ciou
sof
him
self
.T
hesp
irit
shou
ldno
tre
mai
npe
rman
entl
yin
such
ast
ate,
how
ever
,b
ut
mus
tab
ando
nth
ispr
imit
ive
cond
itio
n.T
his
prim
itiv
est
ate
ofna
ture
isin
fact
ast
ate
ofan
imal
ity.
Par
adis
ew
asth
atzo
olog
ical
gard
enin
whi
chm
anli
ved
inan
anim
alco
ndit
ion
ofin
noce
nce
-bu
tth
isis
not
his
true
dest
iny.
Man
isn
ot
trul
ya
hu
man
bein
gun
til
he
know
sw
hat
good
ness
is,
has
expe
rien
ced
oppO
Sitio
n,an
dbe
com
edi
vide
dw
ithi
nhi
mse
lf.
For
heca
non
lykn
oww
hat
isgo
odif
heal
soha
skn
owle
dge
ofev
il.F
orth
isre
ason
,th
est
ate
ofpa
radi
seis
no
ta
perf
ect
one.
Tha
tea
rly
stat
eof
perf
ecti
onof
whi
chth
em
yths
ofal
lna
tion
ssp
eak
mea
nssi
mpl
yth
atth
eab
stra
ctde
stin
yof
man
isal
read
ypo
ten
tial
lypr
esen
t;bu
tw
heth
erit
also
exis
ted
inre
alit
yis
quit
ean
othe
rm
atte
r.It
spo
tent
ialp
rese
nce
has
been
conf
used
wit
hits
real
exis
tenc
e.F
orth
eco
ncep
tof
the
spir
itis
only
pote
ntia
lly
pres
ent,
and
itha
sw
rong
lybe
enas
sum
edth
atit
alre
ady
exis
ted
inre
alit
y.It
isst
illon
lypo
tent
iall
ypr
esen
tfor
us;b
utt
he
purp
ose
ofth
esp
irit
isto
ensu
reth
atit
isal
sore
alis
edin
prac
tice
.In
real
exis
tenc
e,th
isre
pres
ents
the
fina
lst
age
inhi
stor
y,al
thou
ghin
term
sof
mer
epo
tent
iali
ty,
itis
equi
vale
ntto
the
firs
tst
age.
We
hear
muc
hab
out
the
high
erin
tell
igen
ceof
man
kind
inth
eea
rlie
rst
ages
ofhi
stor
y,of
whi
ch-
asSc
hleg
elha
scl
aim
ed
the
wis
dom
ofth
eIn
dian
sin
astr
onom
yet
c.al
lege
dly
still
show
sve
stig
es.
But
asfa
ras
this
Indi
anw
isdo
mis
conc
erne
d,w
eha
veal
read
ypo
inte
dou
tth
atsu
chtr
adit
ions
have
prov
edex
trem
ely
unre
liab
le,
and
that
the
num
bers
they
spec
ify
are
empt
y.fa
bric
atio
ns.
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
129
As
we
no
wpr
ocee
dto
revi
ewth
epr
inci
pal
mom
ents
wit
hin
the
Afr
ican
spir
it,w
esh
all
have
occa
sion
toex
amin
ein
deta
ilce
rtai
npa
rtic
ular
feat
ures
whi
chil
lum
inat
eits
natu
rem
ore
fully
;b
ut
ou
rm
ain
conc
ern
mus
tbe
wit
hth
ege
nera
lco
ncep
tion
.T
hus,
ifw
etu
rnfi
rsto
fal
lto
the
relig
ion
ofth
eA
fric
ans,
ou
ro
wn
conc
epti
onof
reli
gion
tell
sus
that
itre
quir
esth
atw
ansh
ould
reco
gnis
ea
supr
eme
bein
gw
hich
exis
tsin
and
for
itse
lfas
aco
mpl
etel
yob
ject
ive
and
abso
lute
bein
gor
high
erpo
wer
;th
issu
prem
ebe
ing
dete
rmin
esth
eco
urse
ofev
eryt
hing
,an
d,in
cont
rast
toit,
man
appe
ars
asa
wea
ker
and
hum
bler
crea
ture
.It
can
beco
ncei
ved
ofei
ther
asa
spir
it,o
ras
ana
tura
lpow
erw
hich
gove
rns
the
cour
seof
natu
re(a
ltho
ugh
this
isn
oti
tstr
uefo
rm).
Alt
erna
tive
ly,
the
fant
asti
cat
titu
deha
spr
evai
led
whe
reby
men
have
wor
ship
ped
the
moo
n,th
esu
n,an
dth
eri
vers
;th
eyha
vean
imat
edth
ese
natu
ral
form
sin
thei
ro
wn
imag
inat
ion,
atth
esa
me
tim
etr
eati
ngth
emas
com
plet
ely
inde
pend
ent
agen
ts.
Re
ligi
onbe
gins
wit
hth
eaw
aren
ess
that
ther
eis
som
ethi
nghi
gher
than
man
.B
utth
iski
ndof
reli
gion
isu
nk
no
wn
toth
eN
egro
es.
The
char
acte
rof
the~
Afr
ican
ssh
ows
the
anti
thes
isbe
twee
nm
anan
dna
ture
inits
earl
iest
form
.In
this
cond
itio
n,m
anse
eshi
m
self
and
natu
reas
oppo
sed
toon
ean
othe
r,b
ut
wit
hhi
mse
lfin
the
com
man
diri
gpo
siti
on;
this
isth
eba
sic
situ
atio
nin
Afr
ica,
asH
erod
otus
was
the
firs
tto
test
ify.
We
can
sum
up
the
prin
cipl
eof
Afr
ican
"rel
igio
nin
his
decl
arat
ion
that
all
men
inA
fric
aar
eso
rcer
ers.
Tha
tis
,as
asp
irit
ual
bein
g,th
eA
fric
anar
roga
tes
tohi
mse
lfa
pow
erov
erna
ture
,an
dth
isis
the
mea
ning
ofhi
sso
rcer
y.E
ven
toda
y,th
ere
port
sof
the
mis
sion
arie
sca
rry
the
sam
eim
plic
atio
n.So
rcer
ydo
esn
ot
enta
ilth
eid
ea()f
aG
odor
ofa
mor
alfa
ith,
bu
tim
plie
sth
atm
anis
the
high
estp
ower
and
that
he
alon
eoc
cupi
esa
posi
tion
ofau
thor
ity
over
the
pow
erof
natu
re.
The
reis
ther
efor
en
oqu
esti
onof
asp
irit
uala
dora
tion
ofG
od,
no
rof
are
alm
ofju
stic
e.G
odth
unde
rs,
bu
th
eis
no
tre
cogn
ised
asG
od.F
orth
eh
um
ansp
irit,
God
mus
tbe
mor
eth
ana
thun
dere
r,b
ut
this
isn
ot
the
case
amon
gth
eN
egro
es.
The
"A
fric
ans
see
natu
reas
oppo
sed
toth
em;
they
are
depe
nden
tu
po
nit,
and
its
pow
ers
fill
them
wit
hfe
ar.
The
rive
rm
aysw
al
low
them
up,
and
the
eart
hqua
kem
ayde
stro
yth
eir
abod
es.T
hesu
cces
sof
the
harv
esta
nd
ofth
efr
uits
on
the
tree
sis
depe
nden
tu
po
nth
ew
eath
er.
At
tim
esth
eyha
veto
om
uch
rain
,an
dat
128 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
aside all our European attitudes. We must not think of a spiritualGod or of moral laws; to comprehend him correctly, we mustabstract from all reverence and morality, and from everythingwhich we call feeling. All this is foreign to man in his immediateexistence, and nothing consonant with humanity is to be foundin his character. For this very reason, we cannot properly feelourselves into his nature, no more than into that of a dog, or ofa Greek as he kneels before the statue of Zeus. Only by means ofthought can we achieve this understanding of his nature; for wecan only feel that which is akin to our own feelings.
Thus, in Africa as a whole, we encounter what has been calledthe state ofinnocence, in which man supposedly lives in unity withGod and nature. For in this state, man is as yet unconscious ofhimself. The spirit should not remain permanently in such astate, however, but must abandon this primitive condition. Thisprimitive state of nature is in fact a state of animality. Paradisewas that zoological garden in which man lived in an animalcondition of innocence - but this is not his true destiny. Man isnot truly a human being until he knows what goodness is, hasexperienced opposition, and become divided within himself. Forhe can only know what is good if he also has knowledge of evil.For this reason, the state of paradise is not a perfect one. Thatearly state of perfection of which the myths of all nations speakmeans simply that the abstract destiny of man is already potentially present; but whether it also existed in reality is quiteanother matter. Its potential presence has been confused with itsreal existence. For the concept of the spirit is only potentiallypresent, and it has wrongly been assumed that it already existedin reality. It is still only potentially present for us; but the purposeof the spirit is to ensure that it is also realised in practice. In realexistence, this represents the final stage in history, although interms of mere potentiality, it is equivalent to the first stage. Wehear much about the higher intelligence of mankind in theearlier stages of history, of which - as Schlegel has claimed the wisdom of the Indians in astronomy etc. allegedly stillshows vestiges. But as far as this Indian wisdom is concerned,we have already pointed out that such traditions have provedextremely unreliable, and that the numbers they specify areempty. fabrications.
"Geographical Basis of World History" 129
As we now proceed to review the principal moments withinthe African spirit, we shall have occasion to examine in detailcertain particular features which illuminate its nature more fully;but our main concern must be with the general conception.Thus, if we turn first of all to the religion of the Africans, our ownconception of religion tells us that it requires that wan shouldrecognise a supreme being which exists in and for itself as acompletely objective and absolute being or higher power; thissupreme being determines the course of everything, and, incontrast to it, man appears as a weaker and humbler creature. Itcan be conceived of either as a spirit, or as a natural power whichgoverns the course of nature (although this is not its true form).Alternatively, the fantastic attitude has prevailed whereby menhave worshipped the moon, the sun, and the rivers; they haveanimated these natural forms in their own imagination, at thesame time treating them as completely independent agents. Religion begins with the awareness that there is something higherthan man. But this kind of religion is unknown to the Negroes.The character of the~Africans shows the antithesis between manand nature in its earliest form. In this condition, man sees himself and nature as opposed to one another, but with himself inthe commandirig position; this is the basic situation in Africa, asHerodotus was the first to testify. We can sum up the principle ofAfrican "religion in his declaration that all men in Africa aresorcerers. That is, as a spiritual being, the African arrogates tohimself a power over nature, and this is the meaning of hissorcery. Even today, the reports of the missionaries carry thesame implication. Sorcery does not entail the idea (If a God or ofa moral faith, but implies that man is the highest power and thathe alone occupies a position of authority over the power ofnature. There is therefore no question of a spiritual adoration ofGod, nor of a realm of justice. God thunders, but he is notrecognised as God. For the human spirit, God must be more thana thunderer, but this is not the case among the Negroes. The"Africans see nature as opposed to them; they are dependentupon it, and its powers fill them with fear. The river may swallow them up, and the earthquake may destroy their abodes. Thesuccess of the harvest and of the fruits on the trees is dependentupon the weather. At times they have too much rain, and at
130
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
othe
rsto
olit
tle;
they
need
the
stor
m,
the
rain
yse
ason
,an
dth
e
end
ofth
era
ins,
for
neit
hert
he
rain
sn
ort
he
dry
seas
onm
ustl
ast
for
too
long
.B
utal
thou
ghth
ese
natu
ral
forc
es,
asw
ell
assu
n,
moo
n,tr
ees,
and
anim
als,
are
reco
gnis
edas
pow
ers
inth
eir
ow
n
righ
t,th
eyar
eno
tse
enas
havi
ngan
eter
nal
law
orpr
ovid
ence
behi
ndth
em,
oras
form
ing
part
ofa
univ
ersa
lan
dpe
rman
ent
natu
ralo
rder
.The
Afr
ican
sees
them
ruli
ngov
erhi
m,
buth
eal
so
sees
them
aspo
wer
sov
erw
hich
man
can
inso
me
way
gain
mas
tery
intu
rn.M
an,
then
,is
mas
tero
fthe
sena
tura
lfor
ces.
Thi
s
has
noth
ing
wha
tsoe
ver
todo
wit
hve
nera
tion
ofG
odor
the
reco
gnit
ion
ofa
univ
ersa
lsp
irit
asop
pose
dto
the
spir
itof
the
indi
vidu
al.
Man
know
son
lyhi
mse
lfan
dhi
sop
posi
tion
tona
ture
,an
dth
isis
the
sole
rati
onal
elem
ent
whi
chth
eA
fric
an
peop
les
reco
gnis
e.T
hey
ackn
owle
dge
the
pow
erof
natu
re,
and
atte
mpt
tora
ise
them
selv
esab
ove
it.T
hey
ther
efor
eal
sobe
liev
e
that
man
neve
rdi
esfr
omna
tura
lcau
ses,
and
that
itis
notn
atur
e
but
the
will
ofan
enem
yw
hich
has
kille
dhi
mby
mea
nsof
sorc
ery;
they
then
reso
rtto
sorc
ery
intu
rn,a
sth
eyw
ould
agai
nst
all
natu
ral
agen
cies
.
Not
ever
yone
poss
esse
sth
ism
agic
alpo
wer
;o
nth
eco
ntra
ry,
the
Afr
ican
sbe
liev
eth
atit
isco
ncen
trat
edin
cert
ain
indi
vidu
als.
The
sein
divi
dual
sis
sue
com
man
dsto
the
elem
ents
,an
dit
isth
is
acti
vity
whi
chth
eyca
llso
rcer
y.M
any
devo
teth
emse
lves
excl
u
sive
lyto
regu
lati
ng,
pred
icti
ng,
and
prod
ucin
gsu
chef
fect
sfo
r
the
bene
fit
ofm
anki
ndor
ofth~':ir
peop
les.
The
king
sha
ve
min
iste
rsan
dpr
iest
s-
and
som
etim
esa
fully
orga
nise
dhi
erar
chy
ofof
fici
als
-w
hose
task
isto
prac
tise
sorc
ery,
toco
mm
and
the
pow
ers
ofna
ture
,an
dto
dete
rmin
eth
ew
eath
er.
Wh
enth
eir
com
man
dsha
vepr
oved
pers
iste
ntly
inef
fect
ual,
they
are
give
na
soun
dth
rash
ing.
Eve
rypl
ace
poss
esse
ssu
chso
rcer
ers,
wh
oco
n
duct
spec
ial
cere
mon
ies
wit
hal
lki
nds
ofm
ovem
ents
,da
nces
,
din,
and
clam
our;
and
amid
stth
isde
afen
ing
nois
eth
eym
ake
thei
rdi
spos
itio
ns.If
thun
ders
torm
s-
and
thes
ear
etr
uly
form
i
dabl
e-
shou
ldbr
eak
wh
enth
ear
my
isin
the
fiel
d,th
eso
rcer
ers
mus
tpe
rfor
mth
eir
duty
byth
reat
enin
gan
dco
mm
andi
ngth
e
clou
dsto
best
ill.
Inth
esa
me
way
,th
eyha
veto
mak
era
inin
tim
esof
drou
ght.
The
ydo
no
tin
voke
God
inth
eir
cere
mon
ies;
they
dono
ttu
rnto
any
high
erpo
wer
,fo
rth
eybe
liev
eth
atth
ey
can
acco
mpl
ish
thei
rai
ms
byth
eir
ow
nef
fort
s.To
prep
are
them
selv
esfo
rth
eir
task
,th
eyw
ork
them
selv
esin
toa
stat
eof
fren
zy;
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
131
bym
eans
ofsi
ngin
g,co
nvul
sive
danc
ing,
and
into
xica
ting
root
s
orpo
tion
s,th
eyre
ach
ast
ate
ofex
trem
ede
liri
umin
whi
chth
ey
proc
eed
tois
sue
thei
rco
mm
ands
.If
they
don
ot
succ
eed
afte
r
prol
onge
def
fort
s,th
eyde
cree
that
som
eof
the
onlo
oker
s-
wh
o
are
thei
ro
wn
dear
est
rela
tion
s-
shou
ldbe
slau
ghte
red,
and
thes
ear
eth
ende
vour
edby
thei
rfel
low
s.In
shor
t,m
anco
nsid
ers
him
self
the
high
est
com
man
ding
auth
orit
y.T
hepr
iest
wil
lof
ten
spen
dse
vera
lda
ysin
this
fren
zied
cond
itio
n,sl
augh
teri
ngh
u
man
bein
gs,
drin
king
thei
rbl
ood,
and
givi
ngit
toth
eon
look
ers
todr
ink.
Inpr
acti
ce,
ther
efor
e,on
lyso
me
indi
vidu
als
have
pow
erov
erna
ture
,an
dth
ese
only
wh
enth
eyar
ebe
side
them
selv
esin
ast
ate
ofdr
eadf
ulen
thus
iasm
.A
llth
isap
plie
sto
the
Afr
ican
nati
ons
atla
rge,
alth
ough
ther
ear
eso
me
mod
ific
atio
ns
inin
divi
dual
case
s.T
hem
issi
onar
yC
avaz
zi,2
for
exam
ple,
enu
mer
ates
man
ysu
chin
stan
ces
amon
gth
eN
egro
es.
Am
ong
the
Jaga
so
rJa
kas,
ther
ew
ere
prie
sts
kn
ow
nas
Chi
tom
enw
hoh
ad
the
repu
tati
onof
bein
gab
leto
prot
ect
men
agai
nst
anim
als
and
wat
erby
mea
nsof
amul
ets
and
the
like.
The
seco
ndfe
atur
eof
thei
rre
ligi
onis
that
they
give
this
pow
er
ofth
eirs
avis
ible
form
,pr
ojec
ting
ito
ut
ofth
eir
ow
nco
nsci
ous
ness
and
mak
ing
imag
esof
it.T
hefi
rst
obje
ctth
eyen
coun
ter
whi
chth
eyim
agin
eha
spo
wer
over
them
-w
het
her
itbe
an
anim
al,
atr
ee,
ast
one,
or
aw
oode
nim
age
-is
give
nth
est
atus
ofa
geni
us.
Eac
hin
divi
dual
wil
lfe
tch
him
self
som
esu
chob
ject
from
the
prie
st.I
tis
afe
tish,
aw
ord
tow
hich
the
Por
tugu
ese
firs
t
gave
curr
ency
,an
dw
hich
isde
rive
dfr
omfe
itico
orm
agic
.H
ere,
inth
efe
tish,
the
arbi
trar
yw
ill
ofth
ein
divi
dual
does
seem
tobe
face
dw
ith
anin
depe
nden
ten
tity
,b
ut
sinc
eth
eob
ject
inqu
es-
__ti
onis
noth
ing
mor
eth
anth
ew
illo
fth
ein
divi
dual
proj
ecte
din
to
avi
sibl
efo
rm,
this
wil
lin
fact
rem
ains
mas
ter
ofth
eim
age
itha
s
adop
ted.
Wha
tthe
yre
gard
asth
eir
ruli
ngpo
wer
isth
eref
ore
no
t
anob
ject
ive
enti
tyw
ith
anin
depe
nden
tex
iste
nce
dist
inct
from
thei
row
n.T
hefe
tish
rem
ains
inth
eir
pow
er,
and
they
reje
ctit
wh
enit
does
no
tdo
thei
rwill
.The
yth
enad
opts
omet
hing
else
as
thei
rhi
gher
auth
orit
yan
dim
agin
eth
atit
exer
cise
spo
wer
over
them
,b
ut
keep
itin
thei
ro
wn
pow
erfo
rth
isve
ryre
ason
.If
2G
iova
nni
Ant
onio
Cav
azzi
,Is
tori
ade
scriz
ione
dei
trere
gni
Cong
o,M
atam
ba,
An
gola
,Bol
ogna
,16
87(q
uota
tion
she
rear
efr
omth
eed
itio
npu
blis
hed
inM
ilan
in
1690
).
130 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
others too little; they need the storm, the rainy season, and theend of the rains, for neither the rains nor the dry season must lastfor too long. But although these natural forces, as well as sun,moon, trees, and animals, are recognised as powers in their ownright, they are not seen as having an eternal law or providencebehind them, or as forming part of a universal and permanentnatural order. The African sees them ruling over him, but he alsosees them as powers over which man can in some way gainmastery in turn. Man, then, is master of these natural forces. This
,has nothing whatsoever to do with veneration of God or therecognition of a universal spirit as opposed to the spirit of theindividual. Man knows only himself and his opposition to nature, and this is the sole rational element which the Africanpeoples recognise. They acknowledge the power of nature, andattempt to raise themselves above it. They therefore also believethat man never dies from natural causes, and that it is not naturebut the will of an enemy which has killed him by means ofsorcery; they then resort to sorcery in turn, as they would againstall natural agencies.
Not everyone possesses this magical power; on the contrary,the Africans believe that it is concentrated in certain individuals.These individuals issue commands to the elements, and it is thisactivity which they call sorcery. Many devote themselves exclusively to regulating, predicting, and producing such effects forthe benefit of mankind or of thdr peoples. The kings haveministers and priests - and sometimes a fully organised hierarchyof officials - whose task is to practise sorcery, to command thepowers of nature, and to determine the weather. When theircommands have proved persistently ineffectual, they are given asound thrashing. Every place possesses such sorcerers, who cond~ct special ceremonies with all kinds of movements, dances,dm, and clamour; and amidst this deafening noise they maketheir dispositions. If thunderstorms - and these are truly formidable - should break when the army is in the field, the sorcerersmust perform their duty by threatening and commanding theclouds to be still. In the same way, they have to make rain intimes of drought. They do not invoke God in their ceremonies;they do not turn to any higher power, for they believe that theycan accomplish their aims by their own efforts. To prepare themselves for their task, they work themselves into a state of frenzy;
"Geographical Basis of World History" 131
by means of singing, convulsive dancing, and intoxicating rootsor potions, they reach a state of extreme delirium in which theyproceed to issue their commands. If they do not succeed afterprolonged efforts, they decree that some of the onlookers - whoare their own dearest relations - should be slaughtered, andthese are then devoured by their fellows. In short, man considershimself the highest commanding authority. The priest will oftenspend several days in this frenzied condition, slaughtering human beings, drinking their blood, and giving it to the onlookersto drink. In practice, therefore, only some individuals havepower over nature, and these only when they are beside themselves in a state of dreadful enthusiasm. All this applies to theAfrican nations at large, although there are some modificationsin individual cases. The missionary Cavazzi,2 for example, enumerates many such instances among the Negroes. Among theJagas or Jakas, there were priests known as Chitomen who hadthe reputation of being able to protect men against animals andwater by means of amulets and the like.
The second feature of their religion is that they give this powerof theirs avisible form, projecting it out of their own consciousness and making images of it. The first object they encounterwhich they imagine has power over them - whether it be ananimal, a tree, a stone, or a wooden image - is given the statusof a genius. Each individual will fetch himself some such objectfrom the priest. It is a fetish, a word to which the portuguese firstgave currency, and which is derived from feitico or magic. Here,in the fetish, the arbitrary will of the individual does seem to befaced with an independent entity, but since the object in ques-
,_ tion is nothing more than the will of the individual projected intoa visible form, this will in fact remains master of the image it hasadopted. What they regard as their ruling power is therefore notan objective entity with an independent existence distinct fromtheir own. The fetish remains in their power, and they reject itwhen it does not do their will. They then adopt something else astheir higher authority and imagine that it exercises power overthem, but keep it in their own power for this very reason. If
2 Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi, Istoria descrizione dei tre regni Congo, Matamba, Angola, Bologna, 1687 (quotations here are from the edition published in Milan in
1690).
132
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
som
ethi
ngun
plea
sant
occu
rsw
hich
the
feti
shha
sfa
iled
toav
ert,
the
orac
les
whi
chth
eyha
veco
nsul
ted
are
deem
edto
befa
lse
and
beco
me
disc
redi
ted.
Ifth
era
indo
esn
ot
com
eor
the
crop
sdo
badl
y,th
eybi
ndan
dbe
atth
efe
tish
orde
stro
yan
ddi
scar
dit,
and
aton
cecr
eate
anot
her
tota
keits
plac
e.In
othe
rw
ords
,th
eir
god
rem
ains
inth
eir
pow
er,
tobe
ackn
owle
dged
and
reje
cted
atw
ill,
soth
atth
eydo
no
tpr
ogre
ssbe
yond
aco
ndit
ion
ofar
bitr
arin
ess.
Afe
tish
ofth
iski
ndha
sno
inde
pend
ente
xist
ence
asan
obje
ctof
reli
gion
,an
dev
enle
ssas
aw
ork
ofar
t.It
ism
erel
yan
arti
fact
whi
chex
pres
ses
the
arbi
trar
yw
ill
ofits
crea
tor,
and
whi
chal
way
sre
mai
nsin
his
hand
s.In
shor
t,th
isre
ligi
ondo
esn
ot
in
volv
ean
yre
lati
onsh
ipof
depe
nden
ce.
And
itis
the
sam
ew
ith
the
spir
itsof
the
dead
,to
wh
om
they
attr
ibut
ea
med
iati
ng
func
tion
like
that
ofth
eso
rcer
ers.
The
sesp
irits
are
also
men
,bu
t
wha
tdo
essu
gges
tthe
pres
ence
ofa
high
erau
thor
ity
here
isth
at
they
are
men
who
have
cast
off
thei
rim
med
iate
exis
tenc
e.T
his
isth
eso
urce
ofth
eA
fric
ans'
cult
of
the
dead
,in
whi
chth
eir
dece
ased
ance
stor
san
dfo
refa
ther
sar
ere
gard
edas
apo
wer
ca
pabl
eof
acti
ngag
ains
tth
eliv
ing.
The
yre
sort
toth
ese
spir
its
in
the
sam
ew
ayas
tofe
tishe
s,of
feri
ngth
emsa
crif
ices
and
conj
ur
ing
them
up;b
utw
here
this
prov
esun
succ
essf
ul,t
hey
puni
shth
e
depa
rted
ance
stor
him
self
,ca
stin
ghi
sbo
nes
away
and
dese
crat
ing
his
rem
ains
.O
nth
eot
her
hand
,th
eybe
liev
eth
atth
ede
ad
aven
geth
emse
lves
ifth
eir
need
sar
eno
tsa
tisfi
ed,
and
mis
for
tune
sin
part
icul
arar
eas
crib
edto
thei
rag
ency
.W
eha
veal
read
y
refe
rred
toth
eN
egro
es'c
onvi
ctio
nth
atit
isno
tnat
ure
orna
tura
l
agen
cies
whi
chca
use
hu
man
sick
ness
,an
dth
atm
endo
no
tdi
e
byna
tura
lm
eans
;th
eybe
liev
eth
atal
lth
isis
the
wor
kof
som
e
sorc
erer
oren
emy,
orth
eve
ngea
nce
ofon
eof
the
dead
.T
his
is
sim
ply
the
supe
rsti
tion
ofw
itch
craf
t,w
hose
terr
ible
rule
once
prev
aile
din
Eur
ope
too.
The
nati
ves
com
bat
such
sorc
ery
by
othe
rm
ore
pow
erfu
lm
agic
.It
som
etim
esha
ppen
sth
atth
e
keep
erof
the
feti
shis
disi
ncli
ned
tom
ake
itpe
rfor
mits
task
;h
e
isac
cord
ingl
ybe
aten
and
forc
edto
wor
khi
sm
agic
.O
neof
the
mai
nki
nds
ofm
agic
prac
tise
dby
the
Chi
tom
enco
nsis
tsin
prop
i
tiat
ing
the
dead
orex
acti
ngth
eir
serv
ices
byth
em
ost
fear
ful
abom
inat
ions
.A
tth
eco
mm
and
ofth
ede
ad,
rein
carn
ated
inth
e
prie
sts,
hu
man
sacr
ific
eset
c.ar
eof
fere
d.T
hus,
the
obje
ctof
thei
r
reli
gion
alw
ays
rem
ains
subj
ect
toth
eir
ow
nar
bitr
ary
will
.T
he
pow
erof
the
dead
over
the
livin
gis
inde
edre
cogn
ised
,b
ut
held
"Geo
grap
hica
lBa
sis
ofW
orld
His
tory
"13
3
inn
ogr
eatr
espe
ct;f
orth
eN
egro
esis
sue
com
man
dsto
thei
rde
ad
and
cast
spel
lsu
po
nth
em.
Inth
isw
ay,
the
subs
tanc
eal
way
s
rem
ains
inth
epo
wer
ofth
esu
bjec
t.S
uch
isth
ere
ligi
onof
the
Afr
ican
s,an
dit
does
no
tex
tend
beyo
ndth
ese
limits
.
Itdo
esad
mit
tedl
ypr
esup
pose
that
man
issu
peri
orto
natu
re,
bu
ton
lyin
anar
bitr
ary
sens
e.F
orit
ison
lyhi
sco
ntin
gent
wil
l
whi
chst
ands
abov
eth
ena
tura
lwor
ld,
and
he
rega
rds
this
asno
mor
eth
ana
mea
ns.H
edo
esn
otd
oit
the
ho
no
ur
oftr
eati
ngit
in
acco
rdan
cew
ith
itso
wn
natu
re,
bu
tsi
mpl
yco
mm
ands
itto
do
his
will
.T
his
neve
rthe
less
embo
dies
~a
mor
eco
rrec
tpr
inci
ple
than
does
natu
re-w
orsh
ip,
whi
chis
ofte
nco
nsid
ered
anac
tof
piet
y;fo
rpe
ople
freq
uent
lym
aint
ain
that
natu
ral
phen
omen
a
are
wor
ksof
God
,th
ereb
yim
plyi
ngth
atth
ew
orks
ofm
an,
i.e.
the
wor
ksof
reas
on,
are
no
tli
kew
ise
divi
ne.
The
Neg
roes
'con
scio
usne
ssof
natu
reis
no
ta
cons
ciou
snes
sof
its
obje
ctiv
eex
ist
ence
;stil
lles
sis
ita
cons
ciou
snes
sof
God
asa
spir
it,a
sso
met
hing
high
erin
and
for
itse
lfth
anna
ture
.N
ordo
they
poss
ess
that
unde
rsta
ndin
gw
hich
uses
natu
reas
am
eans
-by
sail
ing
on
the
sea,
for
exam
ple,
and
gene
rall
yex
erci
sing
cont
rol
over
natu
re.
The
Neg
roes
'pow
erov
erna
ture
ison
lyan
imag
inar
ypo
wer
,an
,il
luso
ryau
thor
ity.
As
for
the
rela
tion
ship
betw
een
men
them
selv
es,
itfo
llow
s,
firs
tlyth
atm
anis
posi
ted
asth
ehi
ghes
tin
stan
ce,
and
seco
ndly
,
that
he
has
no
resp
ectf
orhi
mse
lfor
for
othe
rs;f
orsu
cha
resp
ect
wou
ldto
uch
on
ahi
gher
or
abso
lute
valu
epe
culi
arto
man
.O
nly
wh
enh
eat
tain
sa
cons
ciou
snes
sof
ahi
gher
bein
gdo
esm
an
beco
me
capa
ble
oftr
uere
vere
nce.
For
ifth
ear
bitr
ary
wil
lis
the
abso
lute
,an
dth
eon
lyso
lid
and
obje
ctiv
ere
alit
yre
cogn
ised
by
man
,th
esp
irit
cann
otha
vere
ache
dth
est
age
ofkn
owin
gan
y
thin
gun
iver
sal.
For
this
reas
on,
the
Afr
ican
skn
owno
thin
gof
wh
atw
eca
llth
eim
mor
tali
tyof
the
soul
.The
ydo
reco
gnis
ew
hat
we
call
ghos
ts,
bu
tth
isis
no
tth
esa
me
thin
gas
imm
orta
lity
;fo
r
imm
orta
lity
impl
ies
that
man
isa
spir
itua
lbe
ing
inan
dfo
r
him
self
,an
dth
athi
sna
ture
isun
chan
ging
and
eter
nal.
The
Neg
roes
have
,th
eref
ore,
aco
mpl
ete
cont
empt
for
man
,an
dit
is
this
abov
eal
lw
hich
dete
rmin
esth
eir
atti
tude
tow
ards
just
ice
and
mor
alit
y.T
heir
beli
efin
the
wor
thle
ssne
ssof
man
go
esto
alm
osti
ncre
dibl
ele
ngth
s;th
eir
poli
tica
lord
erca
nbe
rega
rded
as
tyra
nny,
bu
tthi
sis
cons
ider
edpe
rfec
tly
legi
tim
ate
and
isn
otf
elt
toco
nsti
tute
anin
just
ice.
Alo
ngw
ith
this
goes
the
beli
efth
atit
is
132 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
something unpleasant occurs which the fetish has failed to avert,the oracles which they have consulted are deemed to be false andbecome discredited. If the rain does not come or the crops dobadly, they bind and beat the fetish or destroy and discard it, andat once create another to take its place. In other words, their godremains in their power, to be acknowledged and rejected at will,so that they do not progress beyond a condition of arbitrariness.A fetish of this kind has no independent existence as an object ofreligion, and even less as a work of art. It is merely an artifactwhich expresses the arbitrary will of its creator, and which always remains in his hands. In short, this religion does not involve any relationship of dependence. And it is the same withthe spirits of the dead, to whom they attribute a mediatingfunction like that of the sorcerers. These spirits are also men, butwhat does suggest the presence of a higher authority here is thatthey are men who have cast off their immediate existence. Thisis the source of the Africans' cult of the dead, in which theirdeceased ancestors and forefathers are regarded as a power capable of acting against the living. They resort to these spirits inthe same way as to fetishes, offering them sacrifices and conjuring them up; but where this proves unsuccessful, they punish thedeparted ancestor himself, casting his bones away and desecrating his remains. On the other hand, they believe that the deadavenge themselves if their needs are not satisfied, and misfortunes in particular are ascribed to their agency. We have alreadyreferred to the Negroes' conviction that it is not nature or naturalagencies which cause human sickness, and that men do not dieby natural means; they believe that all this is the work of somesorcerer or enemy, or the vengeance of one of the dead. This issimply the superstition of witchcraft, whose terrible rule onceprevailed in Europe too. The natives combat such sorcery byother more powerful magic. It sometimes happens that thekeeper of the fetish is disinclined to make it perform its task; heis accordingly beaten and forced to work his magic. One of the~a~n kinds of magic practised by the Chitomen consists in propitlatmg the dead or exacting their services by the most fearfulabominations. At the command of the dead, reincarnated in thepriests, human sacrifices etc. are offered. Thus, the object of theirreligion always remains subject to their own arbitrary will. Thepower of the dead over the living is indeed recognised, but held
"Geographical Basis of World History" 133
in no great respect; for the Negroes issue commands to their deadand cast spells llpon them. In this way, the sllbstance alwaysremains in the power of the subject. Such is the religion of theAfricans, and it does not extend beyond these limits.
It does admittedly presuppose that man is superior to nature,but only in an arbitrary sense. For it is only his contingent willwhich stands above the natural world, and he regards this as nomore than a means. He does not do it the honour of treating it inaccordance with its own nature, but simply commands it to dohis will. This nevertheless embodies~ a more correct principlethan does nature-worship, which is often considered an act ofpiety; for people frequently maintain that natural phenomenaare works of God, thereby implying that the works of man, Le.the works of reason, are not likewise divine. The Negroes' consciousness of nature is not a consciousness of its objective existence; still less is it a consciollsness of God as a spirit, as somethinghigher in and for itself than nature. Nor do they possess thatunderstanding which uses nature as a means - by sailing on thesea, for example, and generally exercising control over nature.
. The Negroes' power over nature is only an imaginary power, an, illusory authority.
As for the relationship between men themselves, it follows,firstly that man is posited as the highest instance, and secondly,that he has no respect for himself or for others; for such a respectwould touch on a higher or absolute value peculiar to man. Onlywhen he attains a consciousness of a higher being does manbecome capable of true reverence. For if the arbitrary will is theabsolute, and the only solid and objective reality recognised byman, the spirit cannot have reached the stage of knowing anything universal. For this reason, the Africans know nothing ofwhat we call the immortality of the soul. They do recognise whatwe call ghosts, but this is not the same thing as immortality; forimmortality implies that man is a spiritual being in and forhimself, and that his nature is unchanging and eternal. TheNegroes have, therefore, a complete contempt for man, and it isthis above all which determines their attitude towards justiceand morality. Their belief in the worthlessness of mangoes toalmost incredible lengths; their political order can be regarded astyranny, but this is considered perfectly legitimate and is not feltto constitute an injustice. Along with this goes the belief that it is
134
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
quit
eno
rmal
and
perm
issi
ble
toea
thu
man
fles
h.T
his
isce
rtai
nly
the
case
amon
gth
eA
shan
ti,
and
amon
gth
etr
ibes
furt
her
sout
ho
nth
eR
iver
Con
goan
do
nth
eea
ster
nsi
deof
Afr
ica.
Can
niba
lis
mat
once
stri
kes
usas
utte
rly
barb
arou
san
dre
volt
ing
and
we
inst
inct
ivel
yre
ject
it.B
utw
eca
nnot
spea
kof
inst
inct
inth
eca
seof
hu
man
bein
gs,
for
such
reac
tion
sha
vea
spir
ituq
lqu
alit
yab
out
them
.A
llm
enw
hoha
vepr
ogre
ssed
even
toa
lim
ited
exte
ntin
cons
ciou
snes
sha
vere
spec
tfo
rh
um
anbe
ings
assu
ch.
Inan
abst
ract
sens
e,w
em
ayw
ell
say
that
fles
his
fles
h,an
dth
atw
hat
we
eat
issi
mpl
ya
mat
ter
ofta
ste;
bu
to
ur
pow
ers
ofre
pres
enta
tion
[Vor
stel
lung
]te
llus
that
this
ish
um
anfl
esh,
iden
tic
alw
ith
that
ofo
ur
ow
nbo
dies
.T
heh
um
anbo
dyis
ofan
anim
alna
ture
,bu
tit
ises
sent
iall
yth
ebo
dyof
abe
ing
capa
ble
ofre
pres
enta
tion
;in
shor
t,it
has
psyc
holo
gica
las
soci
atio
ns.
BlH
this
isn
ot
the
case
wit
hth
eN
egro
es,
and
the
eati
ngof
hu
man
fles
his
quit
eco
mpa
tibl
ew
ith
the
Afr
ican
prin
cipl
e;to
the
sens
uou
sN
egro
,h
um
anfl
esh
ispu
rely
anob
ject
ofth
ese
nses
,li
keal
lot
her
fles
h.It
isno
tus
edpr
imar
ily
asfo
od;
but
atfe
stiv
als,
for
exam
ple,
man
yhu
ndre
dsof
pris
oner
sar
eto
rtur
edan
dbe
he
aded
,an
dth
eir
bodi
esar
ere
turn
edto
thos
ew
ho
took
them
pris
oner
soth
atth
eym
aydi
stri
bute
the
part
s.In
som
epl
aces
,it
istr
ue,
hu
man
fles
hha
sev
enbe
ense
eno
nsa
lein
the
mar
kets
.A
tth
ede
ath
ofa
rich
man
,hu
ndre
dsm
ayw
ell
besl
augh
tere
dan
dde
vour
ed.
Pri
sone
rsar
em
urde
red
and
slau
ghte
red,
and
asa
rule
the
vict
orco
nsum
esth
ehe
art
ofhi
ssl
ain
enem
y.A
ndat
mag
ical
cere
mon
ies,
itve
ryof
ten
happ
ens
that
the
sorc
erer
mur
ders
the
firs
tpe
rson
he
enco
unte
rsan
ddi
vide
shi
sbo
dyam
ong
the
crow
d.Si
nce
hu
man
bein
gsar
eva
lued
soch
eapl
y,it
isea
sily
ex
plai
ned
why
slav
ery
isth
eba
sic
lega
lre
lati
onsh
ipin
Afr
ica.
The
only
sign
ific
ant
rela
tion
ship
betw
een
the
Neg
roes
and
the
Eur
ope
ans
has
been
-an
dst
illis
-th
atof
slav
ery.
The
Neg
roes
see
noth
ing
impr
oper
abou
tit,
and
the
Eng
lish,
alth
ough
they
have
done
mos
tto
abol
ish
slav
ery
and
the
slav
etr
ade,
are
trea
ted
asen
emie
sby
the
Neg
roes
them
selv
es.
For
one
ofth
em
ain
ambi
ti
ons
ofth
eki
ngs
isto
sell
thei
rca
ptll
fed
enem
ies
orev
enth
eir
own
subj
ects
,an
d,to
this
exte
ntat
leas
t,sl
aver
yha
saw
aken
edm
ore
hum
anit
yam
ong
the
Neg
roes
.T
heN
egro
esar
een
slav
edby
the
Eur
opea
nsan
dso
ldto
Am
eric
a.N
ever
thel
ess,
thei
rlo
tin
thei
row
nco
untr
y,w
here
slav
ery
iseq
uall
yab
solu
te,
isal
mos
t
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
135
wor
seth
anth
is;
for
the
basi
cpr
inci
ple
ofal
lsl
aver
yis
that
man
isn
oty
etco
nsci
ous
ofhi
sfr
eedo
m,
and
cons
eque
ntly
sink
sto
the
leve
lof
am
ere
obje
ctor
wor
thle
ssar
ticl
e.In
all
the
Afr
ican
king
dom
sk
no
wn
toth
eE
urop
eans
,th
issl
aver
yis
ende
mic
and
acce
pted
asna
tura
l.B
utth
edi
stin
ctio
nbe
twee
nm
aste
rsan
.dsl
aves
isa
pure
lyar
bitr
ary
one.
The
less
onw
eca
ndr
awfr
omth
ISco
ndit
ion
ofsl
aver
yam
ong
the
Neg
roes
-an
dth
eon
lyas
pect
ofit
whi
chco
ncer
nsus
here
-is
the
sam
eas
that
whi
chw
eha
veal
read
yle
arnt
inth
ere
alm
ofid
eas:
nam
ely
that
the
stat
e.of
natu
reis
itsel
fa
stat
eof
abso
lute
and
cons
iste
ntin
just
ice.
Eve
ryin
term
edia
test
age
betw
een
itan
dth
ere
alit
yof
the
rati
onal
stat
ead
mit
tedl
ydo
esre
tain
cert
ain
elem
ents
and
aspe
cts
ofin
just
ice,
soth
atw
een
coun
ter
slav
ery
even
inth
eG
reek
and
Rom
anst
ates
, an
dse
rfdo
mha
ssu
rviv
edun
tilt
hem
ostr
ecen
ttim
es.B
utw
hen
itoc
curs
wit
hin
anor
gani
sed
stat
e,it
isit
self
ast
age
inth
epr
ogre
ssaw
ayfr
ompu
rely
frag
men
ted
sens
uous
exis
tenc
e,a
phas
ein
man
'sed
ucat
ion,
and
anas
pect
ofth
epr
oces
sw
here
byh
egr
adua
lly
atta
ins
ahi
gher
ethi
cale
xist
ence
and
aco
rres
pond
in
gde
gree
ofcu
ltur
e.S
lave
ryis
unju
stin
and
for
itsel
f,fo
rth
ees
senc
eof
man
isfr
eedo
m;
bu
th
em
ust
firs
tbe
com
em
atur
ebe
fore
he
can
befr
ee.
Thu
s,it
ism
ore
fitt
ing
and
corr
ect
that
slav
ery
shou
ldbe
elim
inat
edgr
adua
lly
than
that
itsh
ould
bedo
neaw
ayw
ith
all
aton
ce.
'.
Sla
very
ough
tn
ot
toex
ist,
asit
isby
defi
niti
onun
just
inan
dfo
rits
elf.
Thi
s"o
ught
"ex
pres
ses
asu
bjec
tive
atti
tude
,an
das
such
,it
has
no
hist
oric
alju
stif
icat
ion.
For
itis
no
tye
tbac
ked
upby
the
subs
tant
iale
thic
allif
eof
ara
tion
alst
ate.
Inra
tion
alst
ates
,sl
aver
yn
olo
nger
exis
ts;
bu
tbe
fore
such
stat
esha
veco
me
into
bein
g,th
eau
then
tic
Idea
ispr
esen
tin
som
ear
eas
oflif
eon
lyas
anun
fulf
ille
dob
liga
tion
,in
whi
chca
sesl
aver
yis
still
nece
ssar
y:fo
rit
isa
mom
ent
inth
etr
ansi
tion
tow
ards
ahi
gher
stag
eof
deve
lopm
ent.
We
cann
otye
texp
ectt
hatm
anw
illb
ere
gard
edas
esse
ntia
lly
free
sim
ply
beca
use
he
isa
hu
man
bein
g.T
his
was
no
t.
the
case
amon
gth
eG
reek
san
dR
oman
sei
ther
;th
eA
then
ian
was
free
only
asa
citi
zen
ofA
then
s,an
dso
on.It
isn
ow
gene
rall
yac
cept
edth
atm
an,
asa
hu
man
bein
g,is
free
;b
ut
whe
reth
isis
no
tth
eca
se,
man
has
valu
eon
lyin
one
orot
her
ofhi
spa
rtic
ular
capa
citie
s:fo
rex
ampl
e,pa
rtne
rsin
mar
riag
e,re
lati
ves,
neig
hbo
urs,
and
fell
owci
tize
nsar
eof
valu
eto
one
anot
her.
Am
ong
the
Neg
roes
,ho
wev
er,
even
thes
eva
lues
are
scar
cely
pres
ent;
134 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
quite normal and permissible to eat human flesh. This is certainlythe case among the Ashanti, and among the tribes further southon the River Congo and on the eastern side of Africa. Cannibalism at once strikes us as utterly barbarous and revolting and weinstinctively reject it. But we cannot speak of instinct in the caseof human beings, for such reactions have a spiritu~l qualityabout them. All men who have progressed even to a limitedextent in consciousness have respect for human beings as such.In an abstract sense, we may well say that flesh is flesh, and thatwhat we eat is simply a matter of taste; but our powers ofrepresentation [Vorstellung] tell us that this is human flesh, identical with that of our own bodies. The human body is of ananimal nature, but it is essentially the body of a being capable ofrepresentation; in short, it has psychological associations. BlHthis is not the case with the Negroes, and the eating of humanflesh is quite compatible with the African principle; to the sensuous Negro, human flesh is purely an object of the senses, like allother flesh. It is not used primarily as food; but at festivals, forexample, many hundreds of prisoners are tortured and beheaded, and their bodies are returned to those who took themprisoner so that they may distribute the parts. In some places, itis true, human flesh has even been seen on sale in the markets.At the death of a rich man, hundreds may well be slaughteredand devoured. Prisoners are murdered and slaughtered, and as arule the victor consumes the heart of his slain enemy. And atmagical ceremonies, it very often happens that the sorcerermurders the first person he encounters and divides his bodyamong the crowd.
Since human beings are valued so cheaply, it is easily explained why slavery is the basic legal relationship in Africa. Theonly significant relationship between the Negroes and the Europeans has been - and still is - that of slavery. The Negroes seenothing improper about it, and the English, although they havedone most to abolish slavery and the slave trade, are treated asenemies by the Negroes themselves. For one of the main ambitions of the kings is to sell their captllfed enemies or even theirown subjects, and, to this extent at least, slavery has awakenedmore humanity among the Negroes. The Negroes are enslavedby the Europeans and sold to America. Nevertheless, their lot intheir own country, where slavery is equally absolute, is almost
\'
"Geographical Basis of World History" 135
worse than this; for the basic principle of all slavery is that manis not yet conscious of his freedom, and consequently sinks to thelevel of a mere object or worthless article. In all the Africankingdoms known to the Europeans, this slavery is endemic andaccepted as natural. But the distinction between masters an.dslaves is a purely arbitrary one. The lesson we can draw from thIScondition of slavery among the Negroes - and the only aspect ofit which concerns us here - is the same as that which we havealready learnt in the realm of ideas: namely that the state .ofnature is itself a state of absolute and consistent injustice. Everyintermediate stage between it and the reality of the rational stateadmittedly does retain certain elements and aspects of injustice,so that we encounter slavery even in the Greek and Romanstates, and serfdom has survived until the most recent times. Butwhen it occurs within an organised state, it is itself a stage in theprogress away from purely fragmented sensuous existence, aphase in man's education, and an aspect of the process wherebyhe gradually attains a higher ethical existence and a corresponding degree of culture. Slavery is unjust in and for itself, for theessence of man is freedom; but he must first become maturebefore he can be free. Thus, it is more fitting and correct thatslavery should be eliminated gradually than that it should bedone away with all at once. '.
Slavery ought not to exist, as it is by definhion unjust in andfor itself. This "ought" expresses a subjective attitude, and assuch, it has no historical justification. For it is not yet backed upby the substantial ethical life of a rational state. In rational states,slavery no longer exists; but before such states have come intobeing, the authentic Idea is present in some areas of life only asan unfulfilled obligation, in which case slavery is still necessary:for it is a moment in the transition towards a higher stage ofdevelopment. We cannot yet expect that man will be regarded asessentially free simply because he is a human being. This was not .the case among the Greeks and Romans either; the Athenian wasfree only as a citizen of Athens, and so on. It is now generallyaccepted that man, as a human being, is free; but where this isnot the case, man has value only in one or other of his particularcapacities: for example, partners in marriage, relatives, neighbours, and fellow citizens are of value to one another. Amongthe Negroes, however, even these values are scarcely present;
136
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
thei
rm
oral
sent
imen
tsar
eex
trem
ely
wea
k,or
,to
bem
ore
pre
cise
,th
eyar
eal
toge
ther
defi
cien
t.T
hefi
rst
ethi
calr
elat
ions
hip
of
all,
that
ofth
efa
mily
,is
am
atte
rof
tota
lin
diff
eren
ceto
the
Neg
roes
.M
ense
llth
eir
wiv
es,
pare
nts
sell
thei
rch
ildr
en,
and'
chil
dren
sell
thei
rpa
rent
sw
hene
ver
they
have
itin
thei
rpo
wer
todo
so.
Sinc
esl
aver
yis
sopr
eval
ent,
all
thos
ebo
nds
ofm
oral
este
emw
hich
we
cher
ish
tow
ards
one
anot
her
have
disa
p
pear
ed,
and
itne
ver
OC
Cll
rSto
the
Neg
roes
toex
pect
ofot
hers
wha
tw
ear
een
titl
edto
dem
and
ofo
ur
fello
ws.
The
yde
vote
no
atte
ntio
nto
thei
rsi
ckpa
rent
s,ap
art
from
seek
ing
occa
sion
al
advi
cefr
omth
eC
hito
men
.P
hila
nthr
opic
sent
imen
tsof
love
etc.
enta
ila
cons
ciou
snes
sof
the
self
whi
chis
nolo
nger
conf
ined
to
the
indi
vidu
alpe
rson
.F
orw
hen
Ilo
veso
meo
ne,I
amco
nsci
ous
ofm
ysel
fin
the
othe
rpe
rson
;or
,as
Goe
the
puts
it,m
yhe
art
is
open
.Lov
e,th
en,
isan
enla
rgem
ento
fth
ese
lf.T
hepo
lyga
my
of
the
Neg
roes
ofte
nha
sth
eso
leob
ject
ofpr
oduc
ing
man
ych
il
dren
,so
that
they
can
all
beso
ldas
slav
es;
and
they
are
quit
e
obliv
ious
toth
ein
just
ice
ofth
issi
tuat
ion.
Inde
ed,
they
carr
yth
is
anom
aly
toun
boun
ded
leng
ths.
The
king
ofD
ahom
ey,f
orex
am
ple,
has
3,33
3w
ives
;ev
ery
rich
man
has
num
erou
sw
ives
,an
d
his
man
ych
ildr
enpr
ovid
ehi
mw
ith
ane
wso
urce
ofre
venu
e.
Mis
sion
arie
ste
llus
how
aN
egro
once
cam
eto
chur
chan
d
anno
unce
dto
the
Fra
ncis
cans
wit
hfe
arfu
lla
men
tati
ons
that
he
was
now
com
plet
ely
dest
itut
e,as
he
had
alre
ady
sold
all
his
rela
tive
s,in
clud
ing
his
fath
eran
dm
othe
r.
The
dist
ingU
ishi
ngfe
atur
eof
the
Neg
roes
'co
ntem
ptfo
r
hum
anit
yis
nots
om
uch
thei
rcon
tem
ptfo
rde
ath
asth
eirl
ack
of
resp
ect
for
life.
The
yse
tas
litt
leva
lue
on
life
asth
eydo
on
hu
man
bein
gsas
such
,fo
rlif
eis
only
valu
able
inso
far
asth
ere
isa
high
erva
lue
inm
an.
The
irco
ntem
ptfo
rlif
edo
esno
tm
ean
that
they
are
wea
ryof
it,or
that
som
efo
rtui
tous
irri
tati
onha
s
over
take
nth
em;
on
the
cont
rary
,lif
ein
gene
ralh
asn
ova
lue
for
them
.T
heN
egro
esof
ten
kill
them
selv
esif
thei
rho
nour
isvi
o
late
dor
ifth
eyha
vebe
enpu
nish
edby
the
king
.If
som
eone
in
this
posi
tion
fails
todo
so,
he
isre
gard
edas
aco
war
d.T
hey
give
noth
ough
tto
the
pres
erva
tion
oflif
e,or
tode
ath
itsel
f.T
hegr
eat
cour
age
ofth
eN
egro
es,
rein
forc
edby
thei
ren
orm
ous
phys
ical
stre
ngth
,m
ust
also
beas
crib
edto
this
lack
ofre
spec
tfo
rlif
e;fo
r
they
allo
wth
emse
lves
tobe
shot
dow
nin
thou
sand
sin
thei
r
war
sw
ith
the
Eur
opea
ns.
Inth
ew
arbe
twee
nth
eA
shan
tian
d
,'
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
iso
fWor
ldH
istor
y"13
7
the
Eng
lish,
the
nati
ves
pers
iste
din
runn
ing
stra
ight
upto
the
mou
ths
ofth
eca
nnon
,alt
houg
hth
eyw
ere
inva
riab
lysh
otdo
wn
fift
yat
ati
me.
Infa
ct,
life
isof
no
valu
eun
less
itha
sa
wor
thy
obje
ct.
Ifw
eno
wtu
rnto
the
elem
ents
ofth
epo
liti
calc
onst
itut
ion,
we
mu
stre
alis
eth
atth
ew
hole
natu
reof
Afr
ica
issu
chth
atth
ere
can
ben
osu
chth
ing
asa
cons
titu
tion
.The
gove
rnm
entm
ustn
eces
sari
lybe
patr
iarc
hal
inch
arac
ter.
The
mai
nch
arac
teri
stic
ofth
is
patr
iarc
halp
hase
isth
ear
bitr
ary
rule
ofth
ese
nses
,the
ener
gyof
the
sens
uous
will
;in
this
arbi
trar
yst
ate,
ethi
cal
rela
tion
ship
sof
anes
sent
iall
yun
iver
sal
cont
ent
-L
e.,
thos
ew
hich
take
noac
coun
tof
the
cons
ciou
snes
sin
itsin
divi
dual
aspe
cts,
bu
tse
eits
valu
eas
resi
ding
inits
inne
run
iver
sali
ty(w
heth
erin
lega
l,
relig
ious
,o
ret
hica
lco
ntex
ts)
-ar
eas
yet
com
plet
ely
unde
vel
oped
.Whe
reth
isun
iver
salq
uali
tyis
wea
kor
rem
ote,
the
poli
ti
calu
nion
cann
otbe
that
ofa
stat
ego
vern
edby
free
rati
onal
law
s.
For,
asw
eha
vese
en,e
ven
the
fam
ilyet
hos
isla
ckin
gin
stre
ngth
.
Inm
arri
age
and
dom
esti
clif
e,po
lyga
my
pred
omin
ates
;as
a
resu
lt,
the
pare
nts
are
indi
ffer
ent
tow
ards
each
othe
ran
dto
war
dsth
eir
chil
dren
,an
dth
ech
ildr
enth
emse
lves
are
indi
ffer
ent
tow
ards
thei
rpa
rent
san
dth
eir
fello
ws.
Thu
s,th
ear
bitr
ary
will
has
nobo
ndw
hats
oeve
rto
rest
rain
it.
Und
erth
ese
cond
itio
ns,
that
larg
erun
ion
ofin
divi
dual
sw
hich
we
call
the
stat
eca
nnot
poss
ibly
com
ein
tobe
ing;
for
the
stat
eis
base
do
nra
tion
alun
i
vers
alit
y,w
hich
isa
law
offr
eedo
m.
Whe
reth
ear
bitr
ary
will
prev
ails
,th
ere
can
ben
oun
ion
exce
ptth
atcr
eate
dby
exte
rnal
forc
e;fo
rth
ear
bitr
ary
will
itse
lfof
fers
no
ince
ntiv
efo
rm
ento
unit
e,b
ut
mer
ely
allo
ws
them
tofo
llow
thei
r..o
wn·
indi
vidu
al
incl
inat
ions
.C
onse
quen
tly,
the
Afr
ican
regi
me
ison
eof
desp
ot
ism
;th
eex
tern
alau
thor
ity
isits
elf
arbi
trar
y,fo
rth
ere
isn
o
rati
onal
and
com
mun
alsp
irit
ofw
hich
the
gove
rnm
ent
coul
dbe
the
repr
esen
tati
vean
dex
ecut
or.
Aru
ler
stan
dsat
the
head
,fo
r
sens
uous
barb
aris
mca
non
lybe
rest
rain
edby
desp
otic
pow
er.
Thi
sde
spot
ism
does
have
anim
posi
ngqu
alit
y,be
caus
eit
plac
es
rest
rain
tso
nth
ear
bitr
ary
will
,w
hich
,fo
ral
lits
arro
ganc
e,ha
s
no
intr
insi
cva
lue.
Fro
mth
efo
rmal
poin
tof
view
,th
ear
bitr
ari
ness
ofth
eau
tocr
atde
serv
esre
spec
t,fo
rit
isth
eba
sis
ofth
e
who
lepo
liti
cal
unio
n;it
ther
efor
ere
pres
ents
ahi
gher
prin
cipl
e
than
that
ofin
divi
dual
arbi
trar
ines
s.A
rbit
rari
ness
,w
heth
erse
n
suou
sor
refl
ecti
vein
char
acte
r,re
quir
esa
unif
ying
prin
cipl
e
136 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
t~eir moral sentiments are extremely weak, or, to be more preCIse, they are altogether deficient. The first ethical relationship ofall, that of the family, is a matter of total indifference to theNegroes. Men sell their wives, parents sell their children and'children sell their parents whenever they have it in their ~owerto do so. Since slavery is so prevalent, all those bonds of moralesteem which we cherish towards one another have disappeared, and it never occurs to the Negroes to expect of otherswhat we are entitled to demand of our fellows. They devote noattention to their sick parents, apart from seeking occasionaladvice from the Chitomen. Philanthropic sentiments of love etc.entail a consciousness of the self which is no longer confined tothe individual person. For when I love someone, I am consciousof myself in the other person; or, as Goethe puts it, my heart isopen. Love, then, is an enlargement of the self. The polygamy ofthe Negroes often has the sole object of producing many children, so that they can all be sold as slaves; and they are quiteoblivious to the injustice of this situation. Indeed, they carry thisanomaly to unbounded lengths. The king of Dahomey, for example, has 3,333 wives; every rich man has numerous wives, andhis many children provide him with a new source of revenue.Missionaries tell us how a Negro once came to church andannounced to the Franciscans with fearful lamentations that hewas now completely destitute, as he had already sold all hisrelatives, including his father and mother.
The distinguishing feature of the Negroes' contempt forhumanity is not so much their contempt for death as their lack ofrespect for life. They set as little value on life as they do onhuman beings as such, for life is only valuable in so far as thereis a higher value in man. Their contempt for life does not meanthat they are weary of it, or that some fortuitous irritation hasovertaken them; on the contrary, life in general has no value forthem. The Negroes often kill themselves if their honour is violated or if they have been punished by the king. If someone inthis position fails to do so, he is regarded as a coward. They giveno thought to the preservation of life, or to death itself. The greatcourage of the Negroes, reinforced by their enormous physicalstrength, must also be ascribed to this lack of respect for life; forthey allow themselves to be shot down in thousands in theirwars with the Europeans. In the war between the Ashanti and
, '
"Geographical Basis of World History" 137
the English, the natives persisted in running straight up to themouths of the cannon, although they were invariably shot downfifty at a time. In fact, life is of no value unless it has a worthyobject.
If we now turn to the elements of the political constitution, wemust realise that the whole nature of Africa is such that there canbe no such thing as a constitution. The government must necessarily be patriarchal in character. The main characteristic of thispatriarchal phase is the arbitrary rule of the senses, the energy ofthe sensuous will; in this arbitrary state, ethical relationships ofan essentially universal content - i.e., those which take no account of the consciousness in its individual aspects, but see itsvalue as residing in its inner universality (whether in legal,religious, or ethical contexts) - are as yet completely undeveloped. Where this universal quality is weak or remote, the political union cannot be that of a state governed by free rational laws.For, as we have seen, even the family ethos is lacking in strength.In marriage and domestic life, polygamy predominates; as areSUlt, the parents are indifferent towards each other and towards their children, and the children themselves are indifferenttowards their parents and their fellows. Thus, the arbitrary willhas no bond whatsoever to restrain it. Under these conditions,that larger union of individuals which we call the state cannotpossibly come into being; for the state is based on rational uni-
.versality, which is a law of freedom. Where the arbitrary willprevails, there can be no union except that created by externalforce; for the arbitrary will itself offers no incentive for men tounite, but merely allows them to follow their..own· individualinclinations. Consequently, the African regime is one of despotism; the external authority is itself arbitrary, for there is norational and communal spirit of which the government could bethe representative and executor. A ruler stands at the head, forsensuous barbarism can only be restrained by despotic power.This despotism does have an imposing quality, because it placesrestraints on the arbitrary will, which, for all its arrogance, hasno intrinsic value. From the formal point of view, the arbitrariness of the autocrat deserves respect, for it is the basis of thewhole political union; it therefore represents a higher principlethan that of individual arbitrariness. Arbitrariness, whether sensuous or reflective in character, requires a unifying principle
138
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
whi
chon
lyan
exte
rnal
auth
orit
yca
nsu
pply
.If
itha
sn
opo
wer
inits
own
righ
tan
dis
subj
ect
toa
high
erau
thor
ity,
itad
opts
a
crin
ging
dem
eano
ur;
bu
tw
hen
itits
elf
com
esto
pow
er,
itbe
have
sar
roga
ntly
tow
ards
the
sam
eau
thor
ity
befo
rew
hich
itha
d
prev
ious
lyhu
mbl
edits
elf.
Con
sequ
entl
y,it
can
man
ifes
tits
elf
in
man
ydi
ffer
ent
way
s.A
ndw
here
ver
we
enco
unte
rde
spot
ism
ruli
ngin
apa
rtic
ular
lysa
vage
man
ner,
we
find
that
itsar
bitr
ary
pow
eris
itsel
fca
ncel
led
ou
tby
coun
tera
ctin
gfo
rces
.In
the
Neg
ro
stat
es,t
heki
ngis
alw
ays
acco
mpa
nied
byth
eex
ecut
ione
r,w
hose
offi
ceis
rega
rded
asex
trem
ely
impo
rtan
t;he
isus
edby
the
king
toel
imin
ate
all
susp
ect
pers
ons,
just
asth
eki
nghi
mse
lfm
aybe
kill
edby
him
ifth
eno
bles
ofth
eco
untr
yde
man
dit.
For,
sinc
e
the
subj
ects
are
men
ofeq
uall
ysa
vage
tem
per,
they
impo
se
rest
rict
ions
on
thei
rm
aste
rin
turn
.E
lsew
here
,th
epo
wer
of
desp
ots
ism
edia
ted,
and
on
the
who
leth
eyha
veto
yiel
dto
the
arbi
trar
yw
ill
ofth
em
ight
y.T
hefo
rmw
hich
desp
otis
mth
en
assu
mes
isth
at,
alth
ough
ach
ieft
ain
-w
ho
mw
em
ayca
llth
e
king
-is
the
supr
eme
rule
r,h
eha
sun
der
him
agr
oup
of
gran
dees
,ch
iefs
,or
capt
ains
,w
hom
hem
ust
cons
ulto
nal
lm
at
ters
and
who
seco
nsen
the
mus
tob
tain
ifh
ew
ishe
sin
part
icul
ar
tode
clar
ew
ar,
conc
lude
peac
e,or
levy
atr
ibut
e.T
his
isth
eca
se
amon
gth
eA
shan
ti;
the
king
isse
rved
bya
mul
titu
deof
subo
rdi
nate
prin
ces,
and
even
the
Eng
lish
pay
him
atr
ibut
ew
hieh
he
shar
esw
ith
his
vari
ous
chie
fs.
Inth
isw
ay,
the
Afr
ican
desp
otca
nac
quir
em
ore
orle
ss
auth
orit
y,an
ddi
spos
eof
this
orth
atch
ief
bym
eans
offo
rce
or
stra
tage
mas
the
occa
sion
pres
ents
itsel
f.B
esid
es,t
heki
ngs
enjo
y
cert
ain
addi
tion
alpr
ivil
eges
.Am
ong
the
Ash
anti
,th
eki
ngin
her
itsal
lth
epr
oper
tyle
ftby
his
dece
ased
subj
ects
;in
othe
rpl
aces
,
all
unm
arri
edgi
rls
belo
ngto
the
king
,an
dan
yone
wh
ose
eks
a
wif
em
ust
buy
her
from
him
.B
utif
the
Neg
roes
are
diss
atis
fied
wit
hth
eir
king
,th
eyde
pose
and
exec
ute
him
.T
here
isa
litt
le
know
nki
ngdo
min
the
vici
nity
ofD
ahom
eyw
hich
has
som
e
thin
gap
proa
chin
ga
hist
ory
ofits
ow
n-
that
rule
dby
the
king
of
Eyi
o.It
lies
deep
inth
ein
teri
orof
Afr
ica,
whi
chdo
esn
ot
cons
ist
enti
rely
ofgr
eat
arid
dese
rts.
Infa
ct,
all
the
expe
diti
ons
whi
ch
have
succ
eede
din
reac
hing
the
inte
rior
have
disc
over
edla
rge
empi
res,
and
the
Por
tugu
ese
ofea
rlie
rti
mes
repo
rtth
atar
mie
sof
arou
nd20
0,00
0m
enha
vedo
neba
ttle
ther
e.T
heki
ngof
Eyi
o
also
has
seve
ralh
undr
edth
ousa
ndca
valr
ymen
.L
ike
the
rule
rof
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
iso/
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
139
the
Ash
anti
,h
eis
surr
oUnd
edby
gran
dees
wh
oar
en
ot
who
lly
subj
ect
tohi
sar
bitr
ary
pow
er.
Ifhe
does
no
tru
leju
stly
,th
ey
send
him
ade
puta
tion
whi
chpr
esen
tsh
imw
ith
thre
epa
rrot
's
eggs
.T
hede
lega
tes
then
pu
tfo
rwar
dce
rtai
npr
opos
als;
they
than
kh
imfo
rth
eef
fort
sh
eha
sm
ade
toru
leth
emju
stly
,an
d
then
tell
him
that
his
exer
tion
sha
vepr
obab
lyov
er-t
axed
his
ener
gyan
dth
ath
eis
doub
tles
sin
need
ofsl
eep
and
rest
.T
he
king
than
ksth
emfo
rth
eir
unde
rsta
ndin
gan
dad
vice
,ac
know
l
edge
sth
eir
good
will
,an
dre
tire
sto
his
apar
tmen
ts;
he
does
no
t
lied
ow
nto
slee
p,ho
wev
er,
bu
tha
shi
mse
lfst
rang
led
byhi
s
wom
en.
Aki
ngof
the
Ash
anti
wh
oal
low
edhi
mse
lfto
bede
tain
edin
the
king
dom
ofhi
sfa
ther
-in-
law
byth
ebl
andi
shm
ents
.of
his
wif
ew
assi
mil
arly
depo
sed
twen
tyye
ars
ago.
His
lieu
ten
ants
invi
ted
him
tore
turn
for
the
annu
alfe
stiv
al;
bu
tw
hen
he
did
no
tar
rive
,th
eypl
aced
his
brot
her
on
the
thro
nein
stea
d.
Thu
s,ev
ensu
chde
spot
ism
asth
isis
no
tcom
plet
ely
blin
d;th
e
peop
les
ofA
fric
aar
en
otj
usts
lave
s,b
uta
sser
tthe
iro
wn
wil
ltoo
.
InE
astA
fric
a,Br
uce3
trav
elle
dth
roug
ha
stat
ein
whi
chth
epr
ime
min
iste
rw
asth
eex
ecut
ione
r,al
thou
ghth
eon
lype
rson
he
was
perm
itte
dto
deca
pita
tew
asth
eki
ng;
thus
,th
esw
ord
real
ly
hang
sab
ove
the
desp
ot's
head
day
and
nigh
t.O
nth
eot
herh
and,
the
mon
arch
has
abso
lute
pow
erov
erth
eliv
esof
his
subj
ects
.
Whe
relif
eha
sn
ova
lue,
itis
reck
less
lysq
uand
ered
.The
Afr
ican
nati
ons
enga
gein
bloo
dyba
ttle
sW
;hic
hof
ten
last
for
aw
eek
on
end
and
inw
hich
hund
reds
ofth
ousa
nds
peri
sh.
The
issu
eis
usua
lly
deci
ded
bych
ance
,an
dth
enth
evi
ctor
sm
assa
cre
ever
y
one
wit
hin
thei
rre
ach.
Und
erm
any
prin
ces,
the
exec
utio
ner
is
the
prim
em
inis
ter.
Itis
mu
chth
esa
me
inal
lth~
Neg
rost
ates
,
whi
char
eve
rynu
mer
ous.
The
offi
ceof
head
of
stat
eis
usua
lly
inhe
rite
d,b
utt
he
succ
esso
rra
rely
com
esto
pow
erin
ape
acef
ul
man
ner.
The
prin
ceis
held
inve
ryhi
ghes
teem
,b
ut
he
mus
t
shar
ehi
spo
wer
wit
hhi
sge
nera
ls.T
heN
egro
esal
soha
veco
urts
ofla
wan
dtr
ials
.In
the
nort
h,w
here
the
Moo
rsha
vepr
opag
ated
the
Mos
lem
fait
h,th
eir
cust
oms
have
beco
me
less
barb
arou
s.
And
the
Neg
roes
wit
hw
ho
mth
eE
ngli
shfi
rst
had
deal
ings
wer
e
Moh
amm
edan
s.T
heir
char
acte
rbei
ngas
itis
,th
eA
fric
ans
are
extr
emel
ypr
one
tofa
nati
cism
.T
here
alm
ofth
esp
irit
isso
poor
amon
gth
em,
and
3Ja
mes
Bru
ce,
Trav
els
toD
iscov
erth
eSo
urce
oft
heN
ile(1
768-
73).
138 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
which only an external authority can supply. If it has no powerin its own right and is subject to a higher authority, it adopts acringing demeanour; but when it itself comes to power, it behaves arrogantly towards the same authority before which it hadpreviously humbled itself. Consequently, it can manifest itself inmany different ways. And wherever we encounter despotismruling in a particularly savage manner, we find that its arbitrarypower is itself cancelled out by counteracting forces. In the Negrostates, the king is always accompanied by the executioner, whoseoffice is regarded as extremely important; he is used by the kingto eliminate all suspect persons, just as the king himself may bekilled by him if the nobles of the country demand it. For, sincethe subjects are men of equally savage temper, they imposerestrictions on their master in turn. Elsewhere, the power ofdespots is mediated, and on the whole they have to yield to thearbitrary will of the mighty. The form which despotism thenassumes is that, although a chieftain - whom we may call theking - is the supreme ruler, he has under him a group ofgrandees, chiefs, or captains, whom he must consult on all matters and whose consent he must obtain if he wishes in particularto declare war, conclude peace, or levy a tribute. This is the caseamong the Ashanti; the king is served by a multitude of subordinate princes, and even the English pay him a tribute which heshares with his various chiefs.
In this way, the African despot can acquire more or lessauthority, and dispose of this or that chief by means of force orstratagem as the occasion presents itself. Besides, the kings enjoycertain additional privileges. Among the Ashanti, the king inherits all the property left by his deceased subjects; in other places,all unmarried girls belong to the king, and anyone who seeks awife must buy her from him. But if the Negroes are dissatisfiedwith their king, they depose and execute him. There is a littleknown kingdom in the vicinity of Dahomey which has something approaching a history of its own - that ruled by the king ofEyio. It lies deep in the interior of Africa, which does not consistentirely of great arid deserts. In fact, all the expeditions whichhave succeeded in reaching the interior have discovered largeempires, and the Portuguese of earlier times report that armies ofaround 200,000 men have done battle there. The king of Eyioalso has several hundred thousand cavalrymen. Like the ruler of
"Geographical Basis a/World History" 139
the Ashanti, he is surrounded by grandees who are not whollysubject to his arbitrary power. If he does not rule justly, theysend him a deputation which presents him with three parrot'seggs. The delegates then put forward certain proposals; theythank him for the efforts he has made to rule them justly, andthen tell him that his exertions have probably over-taxed hisenergy and that he is doubtless in need of sleep and rest. Theking thanks them for their understanding and advice, acknowledges their goodwill, and retires to his apartments; he does notlie down to sleep, however, but has himself strangled by hiswomen. A king of the Ashanti who allowed himself to be detained in the kingdom of his father-in-law by the blandishments
. of his wife was similarly deposed twenty years ago. His lieutenants invited him to return for the annual festival; but when hedid not arrive, they placed his brother on the throne instead.
Thus, even such despotism as this is not completely blind; thepeoples of Africa are not just slaves, but assert their own will too.In East Africa, Bruce3 travelled through a state in which the primeminister was the executioner, although the only person he waspermitted to decapitate was the king; thus, the sword reallyhangs above the despot's head day and night. On the other hand,the monarch has absolute power over the lives of his subjects.Where life has no value, it is recklessly squandered. The Africannations engage in bloody battles VV;hich often last for a week onend and in which hundreds of thousands perish. The issue isusually decided by chance, and then the victors massacre everyone within their reach. Under many princes, the executioner isthe prime minister. It is much the same in all th~ Negro states,which are very numerous. The office of head of state is usuallyinherited, but the successor rarely comes to power in a peacefulmanner. The prince is held in very high esteem, but he mustshare his power with his generals. The Negroes also have courtsof law and trials. In the north, where the Moors have propagatedthe Moslem faith, their customs have become less barbarous.And the Negroes with whom the English first had dealings wereMohammedans.
Their character being as it is, the Africans are extremely proneto fanaticism. The realm of the spirit is so poor among them, and
3 James Bruce, Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile (1768-73).
140
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
yet
the
spir
itin
itse
lfis
soin
tens
ive
that
any
idea
whi
chis
diss
emin
ated
amon
gth
emm
aydr
ive
them
tore
spec
tno
thin
gan
dde
stro
yev
eryt
hing
.W
efi
ndth
emli
ving
ape
acef
ulan
dgo
od-n
atur
edex
iste
nce
over
long
peri
ods
ofti
me.
But
,fo
ral
lth
eir
good
natu
re,
they
are
also
capa
ble
oftr
ansp
orts
offr
enzy
.T
hey
are
cons
ciou
sof
sofe
wth
ings
whi
chde
serv
ere
spec
t in
and
for
them
selv
esth
atw
hate
ver
idea
take
sho
ldof
them
beco
mes
thei
rso
lem
otiv
efo
rce,
spur
ring
them
on
toan
nihi
late
ever
yth
ing
they
enco
unte
r.T
hey
seiz
eu
po
nan
dre
alis
eev
ery
idea
whi
chis
thro
wn
into
thei
rm
inds
wit
hal
lth
een
ergy
ofth
eirw
ill,
and
dest
roy
ever
ythi
ngin
the
proc
ess.
Suc
hna
tion
sliv
epe
ace
fully
over
long
peri
ods,
and
then
sudd
enly
swge
upin
toa
com
plet
est
ate
offr
enzy
.T
hede
stn,
1ctio
nw
hich
resu
lts
from
this
sudd
enfe
rmen
tan
dup
heav
alha
sno
real
cont
ent
orth
ough
tbe
hind
it,fo
rit
isra
ther
aph
ysic
alth
ana
spir
itua
lfa
nati
cism
.T
hus,
we
ofte
nse
esu
chna
tion
sru
shin
gdo
wn
toth
eco
ast
ina
wil
dfu
ry,
killi
ngev
eryo
neth
eym
eet,
wit
hn
oot
herm
otiv
eth
anth
atof
mad
ness
and
rage
;th
eir
brav
ery
isso
lely
apr
oduc
tof
thei
rfa
nati
cism
.In
the
Neg
rost
ates
,ev
ery
deci
sion
take
so
na
qual
ity
offa
nati
cism
,a
fana
tici
smw
hich
surp
asse
sal
lbe
lief.
An
Eng
lish
trav
elle
r4re
port
sth
at,
wh
enth
eA
shan
tiha
vere
solv
edto
goto
war
,so
lem
nce
rem
onie
sar
efi
rst
enac
ted;
thes
ein
clud
eth
ew
ashi
ngof
the
bone
sof
the
king
'sm
othe
rw
ith
hu
man
bloo
d.A
sa
prel
imin
ary
tow
ar,
the
king
decr
ees
anat
tack
on
his
ow
nca
pita
l,as
ifto
driv
ehi
mse
lfin
toa
fury
.W
hen
apu
niti
vew
arw
asab
out
tobe
laun
ched
agai
nst
ana
tion
whi
chha
dre
fu
sed
topa
ytr
ibut
e,th
eki
ngde
spat
ched
ano
teto
the
Eng
lish
resi
dent
Hut
chin
son
wit
hth
efo
llow
ing
mes
sage
:"C
hris
tian
,ta
kehe
edan
dw
atch
over
your
fam
ily.
The
mes
seng
erof
deat
hha
sdr
awn
his
swor
dan
dw
illsm
ite
the
neck
sof
man
yof
the
Ash
anti
;w
hen
the
drum
isso
unde
d,it
wil
lbe
the
sign
alof
deat
hfo
rm
ulti
tude
s.C
ome
toth
eki
ngif
you
can,
and
fear
no
tfo
ryo
urse
lf."
The
dru
mw
asso
unde
d;th
ew
arri
ors
ofth
eki
ng,
arm
edw
ith
shor
tsw
ords
,w
ent
ou
to
nth
eir
mur
dero
usm
issi
on,
and
ate
rrib
lebl
oodb
ath
ensu
ed:
all
who
enco
unte
red
the
fren
zi
edN
egro
esas
they
rush
edth
roug
hth
est
reet
sw
ere
stru
ckdo
wn.
Nev
erth
eles
s,no
grea
tnu
mbe
rsw
ere
mur
dere
do
nth
is
4T.
E.B
owdi
ch,M
issi
on/r
omC
ape
Coa
stC
astle
toA
shan
tee,
2vo
ls,
Lon
don,
1819
.
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
istor
y"14
1
occa
sion
;fo
rth
epe
ople
had
lear
ntin
adva
nce
ofth
eat
tack
and
take
nap
prop
riat
epr
ecau
tion
s.O
nsu
choc
casi
ons,
the
king
has
all w
ho
mh
ere
gard
sas
susp
ectk
illed
,an
dth
ede
edth
enta
kes
on
the
char
acte
rof
asa
cred
act.
And
itis
mu
chth
esa
me
atfu
nera
ls,
whe
reev
eryt
hing
bear
sth
em
ark
offr
enzy
and
dem
ente
dnes
s.T
hesl
aves
ofth
ede
ceas
edm
anar
esl
augh
tere
d,an
dit
isde
cree
dth
atth
eir
head
sbe
long
toth
efe
tish
and
thei
rbo
dies
toth
ere
lati
ves,
wh
odu
lyde
vour
them
.W
hen
the
king
dies
inD
aho
mey
,a
gene
ral
tum
ult
brea
kslo
ose
inhi
spa
lace
,w
hose
dim
en
sion
sar
een
orm
ous;
all
uten
sils
are
dest
roye
d,an
dun
iver
sal
carn
age
begi
ns.
The
wiv
esof
the
king
prep
are
for
deat
h(a
nd,
asal
read
ym
enti
oned
,th
ere
are
3,33
3of
them
);th
eylo
oku
po
nth
eir
deat
has
nece
ssar
y,ad
orn
them
selv
esin
prep
arat
ion
for
it,an
dor
der
thei
rsl
aves
toki
llth
em.
All
the
bond
sof
soci
ety
are
loos
edin
the
tow
nan
dth
roug
hout
the
king
dom
;m
urde
ran
dth
eft
brea
ko
ut
ever
ywhe
re,
and
priv
ate
reve
nge
isgi
ven
free
rein
.O
non
esu
choc
casi
on,
500
wo
men
died
inth
epa
lace
inth
esp
ace
ofsi
xm
inut
es.
The
offi
cers
ofst
ate
proc
eed
wit
hal
lpo
ssi
ble
spee
dto
appo
int t
he
succ
esso
rto
the
thro
ne,i
nor
der
top
ut
anen
dto
the
riot
and
slau
ghte
r.T
hem
ost
fear
ful
inst
ance
isth
atof
aw
om
anw
ho
rule
dov
erth
eJa
gas
inth
ede
pths
ofth
eC
ongo
.5S
hew
asco
nver
ted
toC
hris
tian
ity,
beca
me
apos
tate
,an
dw
asco
nver
ted
once
agai
n.S
heli
ved
anex
trem
ely
diss
olut
elif
e,an
dw
asco
nsta
ntly
inco
nfli
ctw
ith
her
mot
her,
wh
om
she
rem
oved
from
the
thro
ne.
She
esta
blis
hed
ast
ate
ofw
omen
,w
hich
mad
eit
self
fam
ous
byit
sco
nque
sts,
and
reno
unce
dal
llo
veto
war
dsh
erm
othe
ran
dto
war
dsh
erso
n.S
hepo
unde
dth
ela
tter
,w
how~s
still
ayo
ung
child
,in
am
orta
rbe
fore
apu
blic
asse
mbl
y,be
smea
red
hers
elf
wit
hhi
sbl
ood,
and
mad
esu
reth
atth
ebl
ood
ofsu
chpo
unde
dch
ildr
enw
asal
way
sin
supp
ly.
Her
law
sw
ere
inde
edte
rrib
le.
She
had
all
the
men
expe
lled
orm
urde
red,
and
all
the
wom
enw
ere
com
pell
edto
kill
thei
rmal
eof
fspr
ing.
Pre
gnan
two
men
had
tole
ave
the
enca
mpm
ent
and
give
birt
hin
the
scru
bla
nd.
And
atth
ehe
adof
this
nati
onof
wom
en,s
hepr
ocee
ded
tow
reak
the
mos
tter
ribl
eha
voc.
Lik
efu
ries
,th
eyde
stro
yed
ever
ythi
ngin
the
neig
hbou
rhoo
d,an
dli
ved
on
hu
man
fles
h;an
d,si
nce
they
did
5C
avaz
zi,
p.14
9ff.
140 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
yet the spirit in itself is so intensive that any idea which isdisseminated among them may drive them to respect nothingand destroy everything. We find them living a peaceful andgood-natured existence over long periods of time. But, for alltheir good nature, they are also capable of transports of frenzy.They are conscious of so few things which deserve respect in andfor themselves that whatever idea takes hold of them becomestheir sole motive force, spurring them on to annihilate everything they encounter. They seize upon and realise every ideawhich is thrown into their minds with all the energy of their will,and destroy everything in the process. Such nations live peacefully over long periods, and then suddenly swge up into acomplete state of frenzy. The destruction which results from thissudden ferment and upheaval has no real content or thoughtbehind it, for it is rather a physical than a spiritual fanaticism.Thus, we often see such nations rushing down to the coast in awild fury, killing everyone they meet, with no other motive thanthat of madness and rage; their bravery is solely a product oftheir fanaticism. In the Negro states, every decision takes on aquality of fanaticism, a fanaticism which surpasses all belief. AnEnglish traveller4 reports that, when the Ashanti have resolvedto go to war, solemn ceremonies are first enacted; these includethe washing of the bones of the king's mother with humanblood. As a preliminary to war, the king decrees an attack on hisown capital, as if to drive himself into a fury. When a punitivewar was about to be launched against a nation which had refused to pay tribute, the king despatched a note to the Englishresident Hutchinson with the following message: "Christian, takeheed and watch over your family. The messenger of death hasdrawn his sword and will smite the necks of many of theAshanti; when the drum is sounded, it will be the signal of deathfor multitudes. Come to the king if you can, and fear not foryourself." The drum was sounded; the warriors of the king,armed with short swords, went out on their murderous mission,and a terrible bloodbath ensued: all who encountered the frenzied Negroes as they rushed through the streets were struckdown. Nevertheless, no great numbers were murdered on this
4 T. E. Bowdich, Mission/rom Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, 2 vols, London, 1819.
"Geographical Basis ofWorld History" 141
occasion; for the people had learnt in advance of the attack andtaken appropriate precautions. On such occasions, the king hasall whom he regards as suspect killed, and the deed then takes onthe character of a sacred act. And it is much the same at funerals,where everything bears the mark of frenzy and dementedness.The slaves of the deceased man are slaughtered, and it is decreedthat their heads belong to the fetish and their bodies to therelatives, who duly devour them. When the king dies in Dahomey, a general tumult breaks loose in his palace, whose dimensions are enormous; all utensils are destroyed, and universalcarnage begins. The wives of the king prepare for death (and, asalready mentioned, there are 3,333 of them); they look upontheir death as necessary, adorn themselves in preparation for it,and order their slaves to kill them. All the bonds of society areloosed in the town and throughout the kingdom; murder andtheft break out everywhere, and private revenge is given freerein. On one such occasion, 500 women died in the palace in thespace of six minutes. The officers of state proceed with all possible speed to appoint the successor to the throne, in order to putan end to the riot and slaughter.
The most fearful instance is that of a woman who ruled overthe Jagas in the depths of the Congo.5 She was converted toChristianity, became apostate, and was converted once again.She lived an extremely dissolute life, and was constantly inconflict with her mother, whom she removed from the throne.She established a state of women, which made itself famous byits conquests, and renounced all love towards her mother andtowards her son. She pounded the latter, who w~s still a youngchild, in a mortar before a public assembly, besmeared herselfwith his blood, and made sure that the blood of such poundedchildren was always in supply. Her laws were indeed terrible.She had all the men expelled or murdered, and all the womenwere compelled to kill their male offspring. Pregnant women hadto leave the encampment and give birth in the scrub land. Andat the head of this nation of women, she proceeded to wreak themost terrible havoc. Like furies, they destroyed everything in theneighbourhood, and lived on human flesh; and, since they did
5 Cavazzi, p. 149ff.
142
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
no
tcul
tiva
teth
eso
il,th
eyw
ere
com
pell
edto
supp
ortt
hem
selv
esby
plun
deri
ng.
Sub
sequ
entl
y,th
ew
omen
wer
epe
rmit
ted
tous
eth
eir
pris
oner
sof
war
ashu
sban
ds,
who
duly
beca
me
thei
rsl
aves
,an
dev
ento
give
them
thei
rfr
eedo
m.
Thi
sw
ayof
life
cont
inue
dfo
rm
any
year
s.T
hat
wom
engo
tow
aris
one
ofth
epe
culi
arit
ies
ofA
fric
anex
iste
nce.
InA
shan
ti-D
ahom
ey,t
here
isa
corp
sof
wom
enw
hogo
on
expe
diti
ons
wit
hth
eki
ng.
And
inD
ahom
ey,
one
mig
htim
agin
eth
atP
lato
'sre
publ
icha
dbe
enpa
rtia
lly
real
ised
,fo
rth
ech
ildr
endo
no
tbe
long
toth
efa
mily
,b
ut
are
brou
ght
uppu
blic
iyan
ddi
stri
bute
dam
ong
the
villa
ges
soon
afte
rbi
rth.
The
king
has
ala
rge
num
ber
ofth
emar
ound
him
;an
dan
yone
who
wis
hes
tom
arry
mus
tpay
afe
wdo
llar
sat
the
roya
lpa
lace
,w
here
upon
he
ispr
esen
ted
wit
ha
wif
e.E
ach
mus
ttak
eth
ew
oman
heis
give
n,be
she
youn
gor
old.
The
wiv
esof
the
king
rece
ive
thes
eca
ndid
ates
for
mar
riag
e,an
dfi
rst
give
each
ofth
ema
mot
her,
wh
om
they
are
requ
ired
tom
aint
ain.
The
ym
ustt
hen
retu
rnfo
ra
seco
ndti
me
befo
reth
eyar
egi
ven
aw
ife. Fro
mal
lth
ese
vari
ous
trai
tsw
eha
veen
umer
ated
,it
can
bese
enth
atin
trac
tabi
lity
isth
edi
stin
guis
hing
feat
ure
ofth
eN
egro
char
acte
r.T
heco
ndit
ion
inw
hich
they
live
isin
capa
ble
ofan
yde
velo
pmen
tor
cult
ure,
and
thei
rpr
esen
tex
iste
nce
isth
esa
me
asit
has
alw
ays
been
.In
face
ofth
een
orm
ous
ener
gyof
sens
uou
sar
bitr
arin
ess
whi
chdo
min
ates
thei
rliv
es,
mor
alit
yha
sno
dete
rmin
ate
infl
uenc
eu
po
nth
em.
Any
one
who
wis
hes
tost
udy
the
mos
tter
ribl
em
anif
esta
tion
sof
hu
man
natu
rew
illf
ind
them
inA
fric
a.T
heea
rlie
stre
port
sco
ncer
ning
this
cont
inen
tte
llus
prec
isel
yth
esa
me,
and
itha
sn
ohi
stor
yin
the
true
sens
eof
the
wor
d.W
esh
all
ther
efor
ele
ave
Afr
ica
atth
ispo
int,
and
itne
edn
ot
bem
enti
oned
agai
n.F
orit
isan
unhi
stor
ical
cont
inen
t,w
ith
no
mov
emen
to
rde
velo
pmen
tof
itsow
n.A
ndsu
chev
ents
asha
veoc
curr
edin
it,Le
.in
itsno
rthe
rnre
gion
,be
long
toth
eA
siat
ican
dE
urop
ean
wor
lds.
Car
thag
e,w
hile
itla
sted
,re
pre
sent
edan
impo
rtan
tpha
se;b
utas
aP
hoen
icia
nco
lony
,itb
elon
gsto
Asi
a.E
gypt
will
beco
nsid
ered
asa
stag
ein
the
mov
emen
tof
the
hu
man
spir
itfr
omea
stto
wes
t,bu
tit
has
no
part
inth
esp
ir
itof
Afr
ica.
Wha
tw
eun
ders
tand
asA
fric
apr
oper
isth
atun
hist
oric
alan
dun
deve
lope
dla
ndw
hich
isst
illen
mes
hed
inth
ena
tura
lsp
irit,
and
whi
chha
dto
bem
enti
oned
here
befo
rew
ecr
oss
the
thre
shol
dof
wor
ldhi
stor
yits
elf.
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
143
Asi
a
Hav
ing
disp
osed
ofth
ese
prel
imin
ary
mat
ters
,we
no
wat
last
find
ours
elve
so
nth
ere
alth
eatr
eof
wor
ldhi
stor
y.A
mon
gth
eN
egr
oes,
the
natu
ralw
ill
ofth
ein
divi
dual
isn
ot
yet
nega
ted;
bu
tit
ison
lyth
roug
hits
nega
tion
that
aco
nsci
ousn
ess
ofbe
ing
inan
dfo
rit
self
can
aris
e.T
his
cons
ciou
snes
sfi
rst
emer
ges
inth
eor
ien
talw
orld
.We
find
here
apo
wer
whi
chex
ists
inan
dfo
rits
elf,
and
man
only
exis
tsin
and
for
him
self
inso
far
ash
eis
rela
ted
toth
isun
iver
sal
subs
tanc
e.It
isth
isre
lati
onsh
ipto
the
subs
tant
ial
pow
erw
hich
unit
esth
ein
divi
dual
sw
ith
one
anot
her.
Thu
s,it
isin
Asi
ath
atth
eet
hica
lw
orld
ofpo
liti
cal
cons
ciou
snes
sfi
rst
aros
e.A
sia
isth
eco
ntin
ent
ofsu
nris
ean
dof
orig
ins
inge
nera
l.A
dmit
tedl
y,ev
ery
coun
try
isb
oth
east
and
wes
tin
rela
tion
toot
hers
,so
that
Asi
ais
the
wes
tern
cont
inen
tfr
omth
epo
int
ofvi
ewof
Am
eric
a;b
utj
usta
sE
urop
eis
the
cent
rean
den
dof
the
Old
Wor
ld-
Le.
abso
lute
lyth
ew
est
-so
also
isA
sia
abso
lute
lyth
eea
st.It
isth
ere
that
the
ligh
tof
the
spir
it,th
eco
nsci
ousn
ess
ofa
univ
ersa
l,fi
rst
emer
ged,
and
wit
hit
the
proc
ess
ofw
orld
hist
ory.
We
mus
tfi
rst
ofal
lou
tlin
eth
ege
ogra
phic
alna
ture
and
for
mat
ion
ofA
sia.
Inte
rms
ofw
orld
hist
ory,
the
natu
ral
cond
itio
nsin
Afr
ica
are
on
the
who
lene
gati
ve;
bu
tin
Asi
a,th
eyar
epo
si
tive
.Thi
sal
soex
plai
nsw
hy
the
Asi
ans
have
sogr
eata
nap
prec
ia
tion
ofna
ture
.Ju
stas
natu
reis
the
basi
sof
hist
ory
itsel
f,so
also
mus
titb
eth
eba
sis
ofo
urs
tudy
ofhi
stor
y.T
hena
tura
lwor
ldan
dth
esp
irit
ualw
orld
toge
ther
form
the
livi
ngto
tali
tyof
hist
ory.
The
phys
ical
cons
titu
tion
ofA
sia
pres
ents
abso
lute
anti
thes
esan
dth
ees
sent
ial
rela
tion
ship
betw
een
thes
ean
tith
eses
.1ts
vari
ous
geo
grap
hica
lpr
inci
ples
are
inth
emse
lves
full
yde
velo
ped
and
per
fect
edfo
rms.
The
two
type
sof
loca
lity
inqu
esti
on,
the
upla
nds
and
the
vall
eypl
ains
,ar
ein
Asi
ath
eth
eatr
eof
com
plet
ely
cont
rast
ing
way
sof
life;
bu
tth
eir
rela
tion
ship
ises
sent
iall
yon
eof
inte
ract
ion,
and
they
are
no
tis
olat
edin
the
sam
ew
ayas
Egy
pt,
for
exam
ple.
On
the
cont
rary
,th
isve
ryre
lati
onsh
ipbe
tw
een
the
two
com
plet
ely
oppo
site
disp
osit
ions
isa
char
acte
rist
icfe
atur
eof
Asi
a.W
em
ust
firs
tof
all
elim
inat
eSi
beri
a,th
eno
rthe
rnsl
ope
ofA
sia.
For
itlie
sou
tsid
eth
esc
ope
ofo
ur
enqu
iry.
The
who
lech
arac
ter
ofSi
beri
aru
les
ito
ut
asa
sett
ing
for
hist
oric
alcu
ltur
e
142 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
not cultivate the soil, they were compelled to support themselvesby plundering. Subsequently, the women were permitted to usetheir prisoners of war as husbands, who duly became theirslaves, and even to give them their freedom. This way of lifecontinued for many years. That women go to war is one of thepeculiarities of African existence. In Ashanti-Dahomey, there is acorps of women who go on expeditions with the king. And inDahomey, one might imagine that Plato's republic had beenpartially realised, for the children do not belong to the family,but are brought up publicly and distributed among the villagessoon after birth. The king has a large number of them aroundhim; and anyone who wishes to marry must pay a few dollars atthe royal palace, whereupon he is presented with a wife. Eachmust take the woman he is given, be she young or old. The wivesof the king receive these candidates for marriage, and first giveeach of them a mother, whom they are required to maintain.They must then return for a second time before they are given awife.
From all these various traits we have enumerated, it can beseen that intractability is the distinguishing feature of the Negrocharacter. The condition in which they live is incapable of anydevelopment or culture, and their present existence is the sameas it has always been. In face of the enormous energy of sensuous arbitrariness which dominates their lives, morality has nodeterminate influence upon them. Anyone who wishes to studythe most terrible manifestations of human nature will find themin Africa. The earliest reports concerning this continent tell usprecisely the same, and it has no history in the true sense of theword. We shall therefore leave Africa at this point, and it neednot be mentioned again. For it is an unhistorical continent, withno movement or development of its own. And such events ashave occurred in it, i.e. in its northern region, belong to theAsiatic and European worlds. Carthage, while it lasted, represented an important phase; but as a Phoenician colony, it belongsto Asia. Egypt will be considered as a stage in the movement ofthe human spirit from east to west, but it has no part in the spirit of Africa. What we understand as Africa proper is thatunhistorical and undeveloped land which is still enmeshed in thenatural spirit, and which had to be mentioned here before wecross the threshold of world history itself.
"Geographical Basis of World History" 143
Asia
Having disposed of these preliminary matters, we now at last findourselves on the real theatre of world history. Among the Negroes, the natural will of the individual is not yet negated; but itis only through its negation that a consciousness of being in andfor itself can arise. This consciousness first emerges in the oriental world. We find here a power which exists in and for itself, andman only exists in and for himself in so far as he is related to thisuniversal substance. It is this relationship to the substantialpower which unites the individuals with one another. Thus, it isin Asia that the ethical world of political consciousness firstarose. Asia is the continent of sunrise and of origins in general.Admittedly, every country is both east and west in relation toothers, so that Asia is the western continent from the point ofview of America; but just as Europe is the centre and end of theOld World - Le. absolutely the west - so also is Asia absolutelythe east. It is there that the light of the spirit, the consciousnessof a universal, first emerged, and with it the process of worldhistory.
We must first of all outline the geographical nature and formation of Asia. In terms of world history, the natural conditionsin Africa are on the whole negative; but in Asia, they are positive. This also explains why the Asians have so great an appreciation of nature. Just as nature is the basis of history itself, so alsomust it be the basis of our study of history. The natural world andthe spiritual world together form the living totality of history. Thephysical constitution of Asia presents absolute antit~eses and theessential relationship between these antitheses.1ts various geographical principles are in themselves fully developed and perfected forms. The two types of locality in question, the uplandsand the valley plains, are in Asia the theatre of completelycontrasting ways of life; but their relationship is essentially oneof interaction, and they are not isolated in the same way asEgypt, for example. On the contrary, this very relationship between the two completely opposite dispositions is a characteristicfeature of Asia.
We must first of all eliminate Siberia, the nOrthern slope ofAsia. For it lies outside the scope of our enquiry. The wholecharacter of Siberia rules it out as a setting for historical culture
144
Geo
rgW
ilhe
lmF
ried
rich
Heg
el
and
prev
ents
itfr
omat
tain
ing
adi
stin
ctfo
rmin
the
wor
ld
hist
oric
alpr
oces
s.It
does
have
cert
ain
adva
ntag
es,
inth
atit
cont
ains
grea
triv
ers
whi
chfl
owdo
wn
from
the
Alta
iM
ount
ains
toth
eno
rthe
rnoc
ean;
but
thes
ead
vant
ages
are
null
ifie
dby
the
effe
cts
ofcl
imat
e.T
here
stof
Asi
a,lik
eA
fric
a,co
ntai
nsin
the
firs
t
plac
ea
mas
sive
upla
ndre
gion
,su
rrou
nded
bya
ring
ofm
oun
tain
sw
hich
incl
ude
the
high
est
peak
sin
the
wor
ld.
Thi
sri
ngof
mou
ntai
nsfo
rms
aco
ntin
uous
rang
e,w
ith
stee
pes
carp
men
tso
n
itsou
twar
ded
ges.
The
upla
nds
ofA
sia
are
boun
ded
toth
eso
uth
and
sout
h-ea
stby
the
Mus
tag
orIm
aus
Mou
ntai
ns,
wit
hth
e
Him
alay
asru
nnin
gpa
rall
elto
them
furt
her
sout
h.T
owar
dsth
e
east
,th
eba
sin
ofth
eA
mur
isbo
unde
dby
am
ount
ain
chai
n
whi
chru
nsfr
omso
uth
tono
rth.
Mos
tof
this
regi
onbe
long
sto
the
Man
chus
,who
are
also
the
rule
rsof
Chi
na;
thei
ror
igin
alw
ay
oflif
e,w
hich
even
the
Em
pero
rof
Chi
naad
opts
inth
esu
mm
er
seas
on,
isno
mad
ic.
To
the
no
rth
lieth
eA
ltai
and
Dzu
ngar
ian
Mou
ntai
ns;
the
latt
erar
eli
nked
inth
eno
rth-
wes
tw
ith
the
Mus
sart
and
inth
ew
est
wit
hth
eB
elur
tag,
whi
char
ein
turn
link
edw
ith
the
Mus
tag
byw
ayof
the
Hin
duK
ush.
Thi
shi
gh
chai
nof
mou
ntai
nsis
pier
ced
bygr
eatr
iver
sw
hich
subs
eque
ntly
form
broa
dva
lley
plai
nsof
imm
ense
fert
ilit
yan
dlu
xuri
ant
grow
th,
each
the
cent
reof
itsow
npe
culi
arcu
ltur
e.T
hey
are
allu
vial
plai
ns,
whi
chca
nnot
prop
erly
bede
scri
bed
asva
lleys
;
they
are
quit
edi
ffer
ent
inst
ruct
ure
from
the
rive
rte
rrit
orie
sof
Eur
ope,
whi
chha
vem
ore
true
valle
ysw
ith
endl
ess
bran
ches
on
eith
ersi
de.
Suc
hpl
ains
}ncl
ude
that
ofC
hina
,fo
rmed
byth
e
Hua
ng-H
oan
dY
angt
ze-K
iang
(the
Yel
low
and
Blu
eR
iver
s),
whi
chfl
owfr
omw
estt
oea
st;
next
,th
ere
isth
atof
Indi
a,fo
rmed
byth
eG
ange
s;th
eIn
dus,
whi
chal
sosu
ppor
tsa
cult
ure
inth
e
no
rth
(in
the
Pun
jab
regi
on),
isof
less
impo
rtan
ce,
for
the
regi
on
itfl
ows
thro
ugh
toth
eso
uth
cons
ists
larg
ely
ofsa
ndy
plai
ns;
and
then
ther
ear
eth
eco
untr
ies
ofth
eT
igris
and
Eup
hrat
es,
whi
ch
rise
inA
rmen
iaan
dfl
owdo
wn
toth
ew
esto
fth
eP
ersi
anm
ou
n-'
tain
s.S
imil
arri
ver
valle
ysoc
cur
toth
eea
stan
dw
est
ofth
e
Cas
pian
Sea;
thos
eto
the
east
are
form
edby
the
Oxu
san
d
Yax
arte
s(G
ihon
and
Sih
on),
whi
chfl
owin
toth
eA
ral
Se.a
.T
he
firs
tof
thes
e,th
eG
ihon
,fo
rmer
lyfl
owed
into
the
Cas
pian
sea,
but
subs
eque
ntly
chan
ged
itsco
urse
.T
heva
stre
gion
betw
een
the
Bel
urta
gan
dth
eC
aspi
anSe
ais
abr
oad
plai
nw
ith
the
foot
hill
sof
the
neig
hbou
ring
mou
ntai
ns,
and
isof
part
icul
ar
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
145
impo
rtan
cefo
rw
orld
hist
ory.
To
the
wes
t,th
eG
yrus
and
Ara
xes
(Kur
aan
dA
raks
)fo
rma
narr
ower
bu
teq
uall
yfe
rtile
plai
n.T
he
cent
ral
Asi
anhi
ghla
nds,
inw
hich
Ara
bia
(as
the
high
erpa
rtof
the
plai
ns)
may
bein
clud
ed,
rese
mbl
eb
oth
the
plai
nsan
dth
e
high
land
sin
char
acte
r.H
ere,
the
oppo
site
prin
cipl
esre
ceiv
eth
eir
free
stex
pres
sion
;th
eyar
eth
eho
me
ofli
ght
and
dark
ness
,of
outw
ard
sple
ndou
ran
dth
eab
stra
ctio
nof
pu
reco
ntem
plat
ion
insh
ort,
ofw
hat
we
call
orie
ntal
ism
.T
his
ispa
rtic
ular
lytr
ueof
Pers
ia.
-
The
plai
nsan
dup
land
sfo
rma
com
plet
eco
ntra
stto
one
anot
her;
the
thir
dty
peof
coun
try
isa
com
bina
tion
ofth
ese
·two
prin
cipl
es,
such
asis
foun
din
the
Nea
rE
ast.
Thi
sin
clud
es
Ara
bia,
the
land
ofde
sert
san
dhi
ghpl
atea
ux,
the
empi
reof
unre
stri
cted
free
dom
from
whi
chth
em
ost
extr
eme
fana
tici
sm
has
spru
ng;
ital
soin
clud
esSy
ria
and
Asi
aM
inor
,w
hich
are
conn
ecte
dw
ith
the
sea
and
form
ali
nkw
ith
Ew
ope.
The
ir
cult
ure
isdr
awn
tow
ards
Eur
ope,
wit
hw
hich
they
are
cons
tant
ly
inco
ntac
t.A
fter
thes
ere
mar
kso
nth
ege
ogra
phic
alpe
culi
arit
ies
ofA
sia,
som
ethi
ngm
ustb
esa
idab
out
the
effe
cts
thes
eha
veh
ado
nth
e
char
acte
rof
its
peop
les
and
hist
ory.
The
mos
tim
port
antf
eatu
re
isth
ere
lati
onsh
ipbe
twee
nth
eup
land
san
dth
eri
ver
plai
ns.
Or,
tobe
mor
epr
ecis
e,it
isn
ot
som
uch
the
upla
ndpl
atea
uits
elf
whi
chis
ofgr
eat
wor
ld-h
isto
rica
lim
port
ance
,as
the
mou
ntai
n
ravi
nes
whi
chlie
atth
eco
njun
ctio
nof
the
mou
ntai
nsan
dth
e
plai
ns.
The
rela
tion
ship
betw
een
the
nati
ons
wh
oli
vein
such
area
sw
ith
the
kind
ofcu
ltur
ew
hich
isfo
und
on
the
rive
rpl
ains
calls
for
part
icul
arem
phas
isin
Asi
anhi
stor
y._A
mon
gth
em
oun
tain
nati
ons,
the
basi
cpr
inci
ple
isth
atof
stoc
k-re
arin
g,w
here
as
the
prin
cipl
eof
the
rive
rpl
ains
isth
atof
agri
cult
ure
and
the
deve
lopm
ent
oftr
ade.
The
thir
dpr
inci
ple,
whi
chis
pecu
liar
to
the
Nea
rE
ast,
isth
atof
fore
ign
com
mer
cean
dna
viga
tion
.The
se
prin
cipl
esha
vebe
enpr
esen
ted
here
inab
stra
ctte
rms,
bu
tth
ey
also
ente
rint
oes
sent
ialr
elat
ions
wit
hon
ean
othe
r;th
eyth
ereb
y
appe
arin
vari
ous
dist
inct
dete
rmin
atio
ns,a
nd
form
the
com
mon
prin
cipl
esw
hich
unde
rlie
the
way
oflif
ean
dhi
stor
ical
char
acte
r
ofth
ena
tion
sin
ques
tion
.F
orex
ampl
e,th
est
ock-
rear
ing
ofth
em
ount
ain
peop
les
lead
s
toth
ree
diff
eren
tkin
dsof
exis
tenc
e.O
nth
eon
eha
nd,w
ese
eth
e
peac
eful
life
ofth
eno
mad
sru
nnin
git
sun
ifor
mcy
cle
wit
hfe
w
144 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
and prevents it from attaining a distinct form in the worldhistorical process. It does have certain advantages, in that itcontains great rivers which flow down from the Altai Mountainsto the northern ocean; but these advantages are nullified by theeffects of climate. The rest of Asia, like Africa, contains in the firstplace a massive upland region, surrounded by a ring of mountains which include the highest peaks in the world. This ring ofmountains forms a continuous range, with steep escarpments onits outward edges. The uplands of Asia are bounded to the southand south-east by the Mustag or Imaus Mountains, with theHimalayas running parallel to them further south. Towards theeast, the basin of the Amur is bounded by a mountain chainwhich runs from south to north. Most of this region belongs tothe Manchus, who are also the rulers of China; their original wayof life, which even the Emperor of China adopts in the summerseason, is nomadic. To the north lie the Altai and DzungarianMountains; the latter are linked in the north-west with theMussart and in the west with the Belurtag, which are in turnlinked with the Mustag by way of the Hindu Kush. This highchain of mountains is pierced by great rivers which subsequentlyform broad valley plains of immense fertility and luxuriantgrowth, each the centre of its own peculiar culture. They arealluvial plains, which cannot properly be described as valleys;they are quite different in structure from the river territories ofEurope, which have more true valleys with endless branches oneither side. Such plains }nclude that of China, formed by theHuang-Ho and Yangtze-Kiang (the Yellow and Blue Rivers),which flow from west to east; next, there is that of India, formedby the Ganges; the Indus, which also supports a culture in thenorth (in the Punjab region), is of less importance, for the regionit flows through to the south consists largely of sandy plains; andthen there are the countries of the Tigris and Euphrates, whichrise in Armenia and flow down to the west of the Persian moun-·'tains. Similar river valleys occur to the east and west of theCaspian Sea; those to the east are formed by the Oxus andYaxartes (Gihon and Sihon), which flow into the Aral Se.a. Thefirst of these, the Gihon, formerly flowed into the Caspian sea,but subsequently changed its course. The vast region betweenthe Belurtag and the Caspian Sea is a broad plain with thefoothills of the neighbouring mountains, and is of particular
"Geographical Basis of World History" 145
importance for world history. To the west, the Cyrus and Araxes(Kura and Araks) form a narrower but equally fertile plain. Thecentral Asian highlands, in which Arabia (as the higher part ofthe plains) may be included, resemble both the plains and thehighlands in character. Here, the opposite principles receive theirfreest expression; they are the home of light and darkness, ofoutward splendour and the abstraction of pure contemplation in short, of what we call orientalism. This is particularly true ofPersia.
The plains and uplands form a complete contrast to oneanother; the third type of country is a combination of these·two principles, such as is found in the Near East. This includesArabia, the land of deserts and high plateaux, the empire ofunrestricted freedom from which the most extreme fanaticismhas sprung; it also includes Syria and Asia Minor, which areconnected with the sea and form a link with Europe. Theirculture is drawn towards Europe, with which they are constantlyin contact.
After these remarks on the geographical peculiarities of Asia,something must be said about the effects these have had on thecharacter of its peoples and history. The most important featureis the relationship between the uplands and the river plains. Or,to be more precise, it is not so much the upland plateau itselfwhich is of great world-historical importance, as the mountainravines which lie at the conjunction of the mountains and theplains. The relationship between the nations who live in suchareas with the kind of culture which is found on the river plainscalls for particular emphasis in Asian history. Among the mountain nations, the basic principle is that of stock-rearing, whereasthe principle of the river plains is that of agriculture and thedevelopment of trade. The third principle, which is peculiar tothe Near East, is that of foreign commerce and navigation. Theseprinciples have been presented here in abstract terms, but theyalso enter into essential relations with one another; they therebyappear in various distinct determinations, and form the commonprinciples which underlie the way of life and historical characterof the nations in question.
For example, the stock-rearing of the mountain peoples leadsto three different kinds of existence. On the one hand, we see thepeaceful life of the nomads running its uniform cycle with few
146
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
need
sto
besa
tisfi
ed.
On
the
othe
rha
nd,
unre
stm
aygi
veri
seto
alif
eof
plun
deri
ng,
whi
chis
also
foun
dam
ong
the
nom
adic
peop
les.
And
thir
dly,
they
may
actu
ally
emba
rko
na
care
erof
conq
uest
.S
uch
nati
ons,
wit
hout
deve
lopi
nga
hist
oric
alst
atus
ofth
eir
own,
doha
vea
pow
erfu
lim
puls
eto
war
dsin
tern
alch
ange
;an
dev
enif
they
dono
tye
tpo
sses
sa
hist
oric
alco
nten
t,th
eyne
vert
hele
ssco
ntai
nth
ebe
ginn
ings
ofhi
stor
y.In
thei
rim
med
iat
eac
tivi
ty-
the
rear
ing
ofho
rses
,ca
mel
s,an
dsh
eep
(and
toa
less
erex
tent
catt
le)
-th
eypu
rsue
thei
row
nw
ande
ring
and
unst
able
life;
this
can
eith
erre
mai
nin
itsus
ual
peac
eful
cour
se,
orgi
vew
ayto
alif
eof
plun
deri
ng,
orle
adto
asi
tuat
ion
inw
hich
grea
tm
asse
sco
ngre
gate
toge
ther
and
swoo
pdo
wn
up
on
the
rive
rpl
ains
.S
uch
nom
adic
hord
esne
ver
atta
inan
yde
gree
ofin
tern
alde
velo
pmen
t;th
eybe
com
eci
vilis
edon
lyw
hen
they
have
lost
thei
ror
igin
alch
arac
ter
thro
ugh
livin
go
nth
eri
ver
plai
ns,
whe
reth
eyfi
rst
appe
ared
inth
ero
leof
conq
uero
rs.
But
incu
rsio
nsof
this
kind
prov
ide
enor
mou
shi
stor
ical
impu
lses
,cr
eati
ngha
voc
and
tran
sfor
min
gth
eex
tern
alco
nfig
urat
ion
ofth
ew
orld
.T
hese
cond
prin
cipl
e,th
atof
the
rive
rpl
ains
wit
hth
eir
agri
cu
ltur
alex
iste
nce,
isth
em
ost
inte
rest
ing
one
for
ou
rpr
esen
tpu
rpos
es.
Agr
icul
ture
,by
itsve
ryna
ture
,re
quir
esth
atth
eno
m
adic
exis
tenc
esh
ould
com
eto
anen
d.It
nece
ssar
ily
enta
ils
ase
ttle
dw
ayof
life,
and
dem
ands
fore
sigh
tan
dpr
ovis
ion
for
the
futu
re.
Ref
lect
ion
ona
univ
ersa
lob
ject
isth
ereb
yaw
aken
ed,
for
the
fam
ilym
ustb
epr
ovid
edfo
rin
aun
iver
sal
man
ner;
and
this
inits
elfi
nvol
ves
the
prin
cipl
eof
prop
erty
and
ofpr
ivat
ein
dust
ry.
Chi
na,
Indi
a,an
dB
abyl
onha
vebe
com
egr
eat
civi
lised
coun
trie
sin
this
way
.B
utth
eyha
vere
mai
ned
encl
osed
wit
hin
them
selv
esan
dha
veno
tde
velo
ped
thei
rli
nks
wit
hth
em
arit
ime
prin
cipl
e
atle
ast
not
afte
rth
eir
ow
npe
culi
arpr
inci
ple
had
com
eto
frui
ti
on;
and
ifth
eydo
subs
eque
ntly
take
toth
ese
a,it
play
sno
real
part
inth
eir
cult
ure
and
civi
lisat
ion.
Thu
s,th
eon
lyco
nnec
tion
they
coul
dha
vew
ith
late
rde
velo
pmen
tsin
hist
ory
was
thro
ugh
bein
gvi
site
dan
dex
plor
edby
othe
rnat
ions
.But
itis
the
inte
rme
diat
epr
inci
ple
whi
chpr
oper
lych
arac
teri
ses
Asi
a;th
ean
tith
esis
ofda
yan
dni
ght
-or
inge
ogra
phic
alte
rms,
that
ofri
ver
plai
nsan
da
ring
ofm
ount
ains
-is
the
dete
rmin
ing
fact
orin
Asi
anhi
stor
y.T
heri
ngof
mou
ntai
nsro
und
the
upla
ndre
gion
,th
eup
land
sth
emse
lves
,an
dth
eri
ver
plai
ns,
dete
rmin
eth
eph
ysic
al
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
istor
y"14
7
and
spir
itua
lcha
ract
erof
Asi
a.B
utth
ese
are
no
tth
emse
lves
the
conc
rete
elem
ents
ofhi
stor
y,fo
rth
epo
les
ofth
ean
tith
esis
are
abso
lute
lyre
late
dto
one
anot
her:
the
sett
led
exis
tenc
eof
thos
ew
ho
inha
bit
the
fert
ilepl
ains
isth
ego
alto
whi
chth
eun
stab
le,
rest
less
,an
dno
mad
icin
habi
tant
sof
the
mou
ntai
nsan
dup
land
regi
ons
cons
tant
lyas
pire
.R
egio
nsw
hich
are
natu
rall
ydi
stin
ctfr
omon
ean
othe
rbe
com
ees
sent
iall
yre
late
din
the
cour
seof
hist
ory.
Inth
eN
ear
East
,b
oth
ofth
ese
elem
ents
are
unit
ed:
itis
the
coun
try
ofva
ried
form
s,an
dit
sm
ain
pecu
liar
ity
isits
rela
tion
sh
ipw
ith
Eur
ope.
Itha
sn
ot
reta
ined
itso
wn
prod
ucti
ons,
bu
tha
spa
ssed
them
on
toE
urop
e.It
has
give
nbi
rth
topr
inci
ples
whi
chw
ere
no
tde
velo
ped
inth
eir
coun
try
ofor
igin
but
wer
ebr
ough
tto
frui
tion
inE
urop
e.It
has
wit
ness
edth
eri
seof
all
reli
giou
san
dpo
liti
cal
prin
cipl
es,
bu
tth
eir
deve
lopm
ent
took
plac
ein
Eur
ope.
Thi
sre
gion
isas
soci
ated
wit
hth
eM
edit
erra
nean
Sea.
Ara
bia
and
Syri
a-
and
part
icul
arly
the
Syr
ian
coas
tw
ith
Juda
ea,
Tyr
e,an
dS
idon
-ha
vead
opte
dth
epr
inci
ple
ofco
m
mer
cefr
omit
sea
rlie
stbe
ginn
ings
,an
dde
velo
ped
itin
the
dire
cti
onof
Eur
ope.
InA
sia
Min
or,
Tro
asan
dIo
nia,
asw
ella
sC
olch
iso
nth
eB
lack
Sea
wit
hA
rmen
iabe
yond
it,ha
vebe
enm
ajor
poin
tsof
cont
actb
etw
een
Asi
aan
dE
urop
e.B
utth
ebr
oad
plai
nof
the
Vol
gais
also
note
wor
thy
asth
ero
ute
alon
gw
hich
the
vast
hord
esof
Asi
apo
ured
acro
ssin
toE
urop
e.
Eur
ope
InE
urop
e,w
edo
no
tfi
ndth
esa
me
phys
ical
diff
eren
ces
whi
chw
een
coun
tere
din
Afr
ica
and
even
mor
epr
onou
nced
lyin
Asi
a.It
lack
sth
atso
lidnu
cleu
sof
high
land
sw
hich
thes
eco
ntin
ents
poss
ess,
for
the
upla
nds
ofE
urop
eoc
cupy
asu
bord
inat
epo
siti
on.
The
prin
cipl
eof
the
plai
nsis
like
wis
ese
cond
ary;
the
sout
han
dw
est
inpa
rtic
ular
disp
lay
agr
eate
ras
sort
men
tof
valle
ys,
sur
roun
ded
by
mou
ntai
nsan
dhi
ils.T
hech
arac
ter
ofE
urop
eis
such
that
the
diff
eren
ces
init
sph
ysic
alst
ruct
ure
don
ot
form
abru
ptco
ntra
sts
asth
eydo
inA
sia;
they
are
mor
ecl
osel
yin
term
ingl
ed,
soth
atth
ean
tith
eses
ofA
sia
disa
ppea
ror
are
atle
ast
mod
ifie
d,an
dea
chna
tura
ldi
visi
onm
erge
sin
toth
ene
xt.
Eve
nin
the
stru
ctur
eof
Eur
ope,
how
ever
,th
ree
sepa
rate
part
sca
nbe
dis
ting
uish
ed.
But
sinc
eth
ere
isn
oab
rupt
cont
rast
betw
een
146 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
needs to be satisfied. On the other hand, unrest may give rise toa life of plundering, which is also found among the nomadicpeoples. And thirdly, they may actually embark on a career ofconquest. Such nations, without developing a historical status oftheir own, do have a powerful impulse towards internal change;and even if they do not yet possess a historical content, theynevertheless contain the beginnings of history. In their immediate activity - the rearing of horses, camels, and sheep (and to alesser extent cattle) - they pursue their own wandering andunstable life; this can either remain in its usual peaceful course,or give way to a life of plundering, or lead to a situation in whichgreat masses congregate together and swoop down upon theriver plains. Such nomadic hordes never attain any degree ofinternal development; they become civilised only when theyhave lost their original character through living on the riverplains, where they first appeared in the role of conquerors. Butincursions of this kind provide enormous historical impulses,creating havoc and transforming the external configuration ofthe world.
The second principle, that of the river plains with their agricultural existence, is the most interesting one for our presentpurposes. Agriculture, by its very nature, requires that the nomadic existence should come to an end. It necessarily entails asettled way of life, and demands foresight and provision for thefuture. Reflection on a universal object is thereby awakened, forthe family must be provided for in a universal manner; and thisin itself involves the principle of property and of private industry.China, India, and Babylon have become great civilised countriesin this way. But they have remained enclosed within themselvesand have not developed their links with the maritime principle at least not after their own peculiar principle had come to fruition; and if they do subsequently take to the sea, it plays no realpart in their culture and civilisation. Thus, the only connectionthey could have with later developments in history was throughbeing visited and explored by other nations. But it is the intermediate principle which properly characterises Asia; the antithesisof day and night - or in geographical terms, that of river plainsand a ring of mountains - is the determining factor in Asianhistory. The ring of mountains round the upland region, theuplands themselves, and the river plains, determine the physical
"Geographical Basis of World History" 147
and spiritual character of Asia. But these are not themselves theconcrete elements of history, for the poles of the antithesis areabsolutely related to one another: the settled existence of thosewho inhabit the fertile plains is the goal to which the unstable,restless, and nomadic inhabitants of the mountains and uplandregions constantly aspire. Regions which are naturally distinctfrom one another become essentially related in the course ofhistory.
In the Near East, both of these elements are united: it is thecountry of varied forms, and its main peculiarity is its relationship with Europe. It has not retained its own productions, buthas passed them on to Europe. It has given birth to principleswhich were not developed in their country of origin but werebrought to fruition in Europe. It has witnessed the rise of allreligious and political principles, but their development tookplace in Europe. This region is associated with the MediterraneanSea. Arabia and Syria - and particularly the Syrian coast withJudaea, Tyre, and Sidon - have adopted the principle of commerce from its earliest beginnings, and developed it in the direction of Europe. In Asia Minor, Troas and Ionia, as well as Colchison the Black Sea with Armenia beyond it, have been majorpoints of contact between Asia and Europe. But the broad plainof the Volga is also noteworthy as the route along which the vasthordes of Asia poured across into Europe.
Europe
In Europe, we do not find the same physical differences whichwe encountered in Africa and even more pronouncedly in Asia.It lacks that solid nucleus of highlands which these continentspossess, for the uplands of Europe occupy a subordinate position.The principle of the plains is likewise secondary; the south andwest in particular display a greater assortment of valleys, surrounded by mountains and hills. The character of Europe is suchthat the differences in its physical structure do not form abruptcontrasts as they do in Asia; they are more closely intermingled,so that the antitheses of Asia disappear or are at least modified,and each natural division merges into the next. Even in thestructure of Europe, however, three separate parts can be distinguished. But since there is no abrupt contrast between
148
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
upla
nds
and
rive
rpl
ains
,w
em
ust
empl
oyan
othe
rm
etho
dof
clas
sifi
catio
n.T
hefi
rst
part
isSo
uthe
rnEu
rope
,L
e.th
eco
untr
yso
uth
ofth
eP
yren
ees,
the
sout
hof
Fra
nce
and
Ital
y(w
hich
are
cut
off
byth
eA
lps
from
the
rest
ofF
ranc
ean
dfr
omS
wit
zerl
and
and
Ger
m
any)
,an
dth
ese
ries
ofea
ster
nco
untr
ies
tow
ards
the
Bal
kan
Pen
insu
la,
sout
hof
the
Dan
ube
basi
n,in
clud
ing
Gre
ece.
Thi
sre
gion
,w
hich
was
long
the
thea
tre
ofw
orld
hist
ory,
does
no
tha
vea
clea
rly
defi
ned
nucl
eus
ofits
own,
bu
tis
orie
ntat
edou
twar
ds,
look
ing
tow
ards
the
Med
iter
rane
an.W
hile
the
mid
dle
and
nort
hof
Eur
ope
wer
est
illun
cult
ivat
ed,
the
wor
ldsp
irit
had
itsre
side
nce
here
.T
hela
ndto
the
nort
hof
the
Alp
sm
ust
besu
bdiv
ided
into
two
furt
her
part
s:th
ew
este
rnpa
rt,
whi
chin
cl
udes
Ger
man
y,F
ranc
e,D
enm
ark,
and
Sca
ndin
avia
,is
the
hear
tof
Euro
pe,
the
wor
ldw
hich
was
firs
top
ened
upby
Juli
usC
aesa
r.C
aesa
r'sw
orld
-his
tori
cal
aCtio
nin
open
ing
this
new
terr
ain
was
ade
edof
man
hood
,jus
tas
Ale
xand
erth
eG
reat
'spl
anto
impo
sean
occi
dent
alch
arac
ter
on
the
Nea
rE
ast
was
ade
edof
yout
h.B
utA
lexa
nder
was
less
succ
essf
ulin
his
atte
mpt
sto
rais
eth
eea
stto
the
Gre
ekw
ayof
life
than
Cae
sar
was
inhi
sun
dert
akin
g.N
ever
thel
ess,
alth
ough
Ale
xand
er's
achi
evem
ent
was
tran
sien
t,it
esta
blis
hed
ali
nkbe
twee
nea
stan
dw
est
from
whi
chth
efi
rst
grea
tw
orld
-his
tori
cal
even
tsof
the
wes
tco
uld
subs
eque
ntly
aris
e.In
itsim
plic
atio
ns,
his
deed
appe
als
stro
ngly
toth
eim
agi
nati
ono
nac
coun
tof
itsgr
eatn
ess
and
sple
ndou
r,bu
t,in
itsre
sult
s,it
soon
vani
shed
away
like
am
ere
idea
l.T
heth
ird
regi
onis
the
nort
h-ea
stof
Euro
pe.
Itco
ntai
nsth
eno
rthe
rnpl
ains
,w
hich
have
ape
culi
arch
arac
ter
ofth
eir
own;
they
once
belo
nged
toth
eS
lavo
nic
nati
ons,
and
form
ali
nkw
ith
Asi
a,pa
rtic
ular
lyw
ith
Rus
sia
and
Pol
and.
The
seco
untr
ies
are
late
arri
vals
inth
ese
ries
ofhi
stor
ical
stat
es,
and
they
mai
ntai
na
cons
tant
conn
ecti
onbe
twee
nE
urop
ean
dA
sia.
Sinc
eno
one
part
icul
arty
peof
envi
ronm
ent
pred
omin
ates
inE
urop
eas
itdo
esin
the
othe
rco
ntin
ents
,m
anto
ois
mor
eun
iver
sal
inch
arac
ter.
Tho
sepa
rtic
ular
way
sof
life
whi
char
eti
edto
diff
eren
tph
ysic
alco
ntex
tsdo
no
tas
sum
esu
chdi
stin
ctan
dpe
culi
arfo
rms
asth
eydo
inA
sia,
on
who
sehi
stor
yth
eyha
veha
dso
grea
tan
effe
ct;
for
the
geog
raph
ical
diff
eren
ces
wit
hin
Eur
ope
are
not
shar
ply
defi
ned.
Nat
ural
life
isal
soth
ere
alm
ofco
ntin
genc
y,ho
wev
er,
and
only
inits
univ
ersa
lat
-
"Geo
grap
hica
lBas
isof
Wor
ldH
isto
ry"
149
trib
utes
does
itex
erci
sea
dete
rmin
ing
infl
uenc
eco
mm
ensu
rate
wit
hth
epr
inci
ple
ofth
esp
irit
.The
char
acte
rof
the
Gre
eksp
irit
,fo
rex
ampl
e,gr
ewo
ut
ofth
eso
ilof
Gre
ece,
aco
asta
lte
rrit
ory
whi
chen
cour
ages
indi
vidu
alau
tono
my.
Sim
ilarl
y,th
eR
oman
Em
pire
coul
dn
oth
ave
aris
enin
the
hear
tof
the
cont
inen
t.M
anca
nex
isti
nal
lcl
imat
es;
bu
tthe
clim
ates
are
ofa
lim
ited
char
ac
ter,
soth
atth
epo
wer
they
exer
cise
isth
eex
tern
alco
unte
rpar
tto
man
'sin
ner
natu
re.
Con
sequ
entl
y,E
urop
ean
man
also
appe
ars
natu
rall
yfr
eer
than
the
inha
bita
nts
ofot
her
cont
inen
ts,
beca
use
no
one
natu
ral
prin
cipl
eis
dom
inan
tin
Eur
ope.
Tho
sedi
stin
ctw
ays
oflif
ew
hich
appe
arin
Asi
ain
ast
ate
ofm
utua
lco
nfli
ctap
pear
inE
urop
era
ther
asse
para
teso
cial
clas
ses
wit
hin
the
conc
rete
stat
e.T
hem
ain
dist
inct
ion
inge
ogra
phy
isth
atbe
twee
nth
ein
teri
oran
dth
eco
ast.
InA
sia,
the
sea
isW
itho
utsi
gnif
ican
ce,
and
the
Asi
atic
nati
ons
have
infa
ctsh
utth
emse
lves
off
from
it.In
Indi
a,go
ing
tose
ais
posi
tive
lyfo
rbid
den
byre
ligi
on.
InE
urop
e,ho
wev
er,
this
mar
itim
ere
lati
onsh
ipis
ofvi
tal
impo
rta
nce,
and
itcr
eate
san
endu
ring
diff
eren
cebe
twee
nth
etw
oco
ntin
ents
.The
Eur
opea
nst
ate
istr
uly
Eur
opea
non
lyin
sofa
ras
itha
sli
nks
wit
hth
ese
a.T
hese
apr
ovid
esth
atw
holl
ype
culi
arou
tlet
whi
chA
siat
iclif
ela
cks,
the
outl
etw
hich
enab
les
life
tost
epbe
yond
itsel
f.It
isth
isw
hich
has
inve
sted
Eur
opea
npo
liti
cal
life
wit
hth
epr
inci
ple
ofin
divi
dual
free
dom
.
148 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
uplands and river plains, we must employ another method ofclassification.
The first part is Southern Europe, Le. the country south of thePyrenees, the south of France and Italy (which are cut off by theAlps from the rest of France and from Switzerland and Germany), and the series of eastern countries towards the BalkanPeninsula, south of the Danube basin, including Greece. Thisregion, which was long the theatre of world history, does nothave a clearly defined nucleus of its own, but is orientatedoutwards, looking towards the Mediterranean. While the middleand north of Europe were still uncultivated, the world spirit hadits residence here. The land to the north of the Alps must besubdivided into two further parts: the western part, which includes Germany, France, Denmark, and Scandinavia, is the heartofEurope, the world which was first opened up by Julius Caesar.Caesar's world-historical aCtion in opening this new terrain wasa deed of manhood, just as Alexander the Great's plan to imposean occidental character on the Near East was a deed of youth.But Alexander was less successful in his attempts to raise the eastto the Greek way of life than Caesar was in his undertaking.Nevertheless, although Alexander's achievement was transient,it established a link between east and west from which the firstgreat world-historical events of the west could subsequentlyarise. In its implications, his deed appeals strongly to the imagination on account of its greatness and splendour, but, in itsresults, it soon vanished away like a mere ideal.
The third region is the north-east of Europe. It contains thenorthern plains, which have a peculiar character of their own;they once belonged to the Slavonic nations, and form a link withAsia, particularly with Russia and Poland. These countries arelate arrivals in the series of historical states, and they maintain aconstant connection between Europe and Asia.
Since no one particular type of environment predominates inEurope as it does in the other continents, man too is moreuniversal in character. Those particular ways of life which aretied to different physical contexts do not assume such distinctand peculiar forms as they do in Asia, on whose history theyhave had so great an effect; for the geographical differenceswithin Europe are not sharply defined. Natural life is also therealm of contingency, however, and only in its universal at-
"Geographical Basis of World History" 149
tributes does it exercise a determining influence commensuratewith the principle of the spirit. The character of the Greek spirit,for example, grew out of the soil of Greece, a coastal territorywhich encourages individual autonomy. Similarly, the RomanEmpire could not have arisen in the heart of the continent. Mancan exist in all climates; but the climates are of a limited character, so that the power they exercise is the external counterpart toman's inner nature. Consequently, European man also appearsnaturally freer than the inhabitants of other continents, becauseno one natural principle is dominant in Europe. Those distinctways of life which appear in Asia in a state of mutual conflictappear in Europe rather as separate social classes within theconcrete state. The main distinction in geography is that betweenthe interior and the coast. In Asia, the sea is Without significance,and the Asiatic nations have in fact shut themselves off from it.In India, going to sea is positively forbidden by religion. InEurope, however, this maritime relationship is of vital importance, and it creates an enduring difference between the twocontinents. The European state is truly European only in so far asit has links with the sea. The sea provides that wholly peculiaroutlet which Asiatic life lacks, the outlet which enables life tostep beyond itself. It is this which has invested European politicallife with the principle of individual freedom.
150
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
Col
onia
lism
inth
eIn
tern
alL
ogic
of
Cap
ital
ist
Mod
ern
ity
243.
Whe
nci
vil
soci
ety
isin
ast
ate
ofun
impe
ded
activ
ity,
itis
enga
ged
inex
pand
ing
inte
rnal
lyin
popu
lati
onan
din
dust
ry.
The
amas
sing
ofw
ealt
his
inte
nsif
ied
byge
nera
lizi
ng(a
)th
eli
nkag
eof
men
byth
eir
need
s,an
d(b
)th
em
etho
dsof
prep
arin
gan
ddi
stri
buti
ngth
em
eans
tosa
tisfy
thes
ene
eds,
beca
use
itis
from
this
doub
lepr
oces
sof
gene
tali
zati
onth
atth
ela
rges
tpr
ofit
sar
ede
rive
d.T
hat
ison
esi
deof
the
pict
ure.
The
othe
rsi
deis
the
subd
ivis
ion
and
rest
rict
ion
ofpa
rtic
ular
jobs
.T
his
resu
lts
inth
ede
pend
ence
and
dist
ress
ofth
ecl
ass
tied
tow
ork
ofth
atso
rt,
and
thes
eag
ain
enta
ilin
abil
ity
tofe
elan
den
joy
the
broa
der
free
dom
san
des
peci
ally
the
inte
llec
tual
bene
fits
ofci
vil
soci
ety.
[Par
.24
6co
nsid
ers
the
exte
rnal
expa
nsio
nof
civi
lso
ciet
y;ita
lics
adde
dby
edit
or.]
244.
Whe
nth
est
anda
rdof
livin
gof
ala
rge
mas
sof
peop
lefa
llsbe
low
ace
rtai
nsu
bsis
tenc
ele
vel
-a
leve
lre
gula
ted
auto
mat
ica
llyas
the
one
nece
ssar
yfo
ra
mem
ber
ofth
eso
ciet
y-
and
wh
enth
ere
isa
cons
eque
ntlo
ssof
the
sens
eof
righ
tan
dw
rong
,of
hone
sty
and
the
self
-res
pect
whi
chm
akes
am
anin
sist
on
mai
ntai
ning
him
self
byhi
so
wn
wor
kan
def
fort
,th
ere
sult
isth
ecr
eati
onof
ara
bble
ofpa
uper
s.A
tthe
sam
eti
me
this
brin
gsw
ith
it,at
the
othe
ren
dof
the
soci
alsc
ale,
cond
itio
nsw
hich
grea
tly
faci
litat
eth
eco
ncen
trat
ion
ofdi
spro
port
iona
tew
ealt
hin
afe
wha
nds.
Add
ition
sto
par.
244:
The
low
est
subs
iste
nce
leve
l,th
atof
ara
bble
ofpa
uper
s,is
fixe
dau
tom
atic
ally
,but
the
min
imum
vari
esco
nsid
erab
lyin
diff
eren
tco
untr
ies.
InE
ngla
nd,
even
the
poor
est
beli
eve
that
they
have
righ
ts;
this
isdi
ffer
entf
rom
wh
atsa
tisfi
esth
epo
orin
othe
rco
untr
ies.
Pov
erty
init
self
does
no
tm
ake
men
into
ara
bble
;a
rabb
leis
crea
ted
on
lyw
hen
ther
eis
join
edto
pove
rty
adi
spos
itio
nof
min
d,an
inne
rin
dign
atio
nag
ains
tth
eri
ch,
agai
nsts
ocie
ty,
agai
nst
the
gove
rnm
ent,
etc.
Afu
rthe
rco
nse
quen
ceof
this
atti
tude
isth
atth
roug
hth
eir
depe
nden
ceo
nch
ance
men
beco
me
friv
olou
san
did
le,
like
the
Nea
poli
tan
lazz
aron
i,fo
rex
ampl
e.In
this
way
ther
eis
born
inth
era
bble
the
On
Col
onia
lism
151
evil
ofla
ckin
gse
lf-r
espe
cten
ough
tose
cure
subs
iste
nce
byits
ow
nla
bour
and
yet
atth
esa
me
tim
eof
clai
min
gto
rece
ive
subs
iste
nce
asit
sri
ght.
Aga
inst
natu
rem
anca
ncl
aim
no
righ
t,b
ut
once
soci
ety
ises
tabl
ishe
d,po
vert
yim
med
iate
lyta
kes
the
form
ofa
wro
ngdo
neto
one
clas
sby
anot
her.
The
impo
rtan
tqu
esti
onof
ho
wpo
vert
yis
tobe
abol
ishe
dis
one
ofth
em
ost
dist
urbi
ngpr
oble
ms
whi
chag
itat
em
oder
nso
ciet
y.
245.
Wh
enth
em
asse
sbe
gin
tode
clin
ein
topo
vert
y,(a
)th
ebu
rden
ofm
aint
aini
ngth
emat
thei
ror
dina
ryst
anda
rdof
livi
ngm
ight
bedi
rect
lyla
ido
nth
ew
ealt
hier
clas
ses,
or
they
mig
htre
ceiv
eth
em
eans
ofli
veli
hood
dire
ctly
from
othe
rpu
blic
sour
ces
ofw
ealt
h(e
.g.
from
the
endo
wm
ents
ofri
chho
spit
als,
mon
aste
ries
,an
dot
her
foun
dati
ons)
.In
eith
erca
se,
how
ever
,th
ene
edy
wou
ldre
ceiv
esu
bsis
tenc
edi
rect
ly,
no
tby
mea
nsof
thei
rw
ork,
and
this
wou
ldvi
olat
eth
epr
inci
ple
ofci
vil
soci
ety
-an
dth
efe
elin
gof
indi
vidu
alin
depe
nden
cean
dse
lf-r
espe
ctin
its
indi
vidu
alm
embe
rs.
(b)
As
anal
tern
ativ
e,th
eym
ight
begi
ven
subs
iste
nce
indi
rect
lyth
ough
bein
ggi
ven
wor
k,i.e
.op
port
unit
yto
wor
k.In
this
even
tth
evo
lum
eof
·pro
duct
ion
wou
ldbe
in
qeas
ed,
bu
tth
eev
ilco
nsis
tspr
ecis
ely
inan
exce
ssof
prod
ucti
onan
din
the
lack
ofa
prop
orti
onat
enu
mbe
rof
cons
umer
sw
ho
are
them
selv
esal
sopr
oduc
ers,
and
thus
itis
sim
ply
inte
nsif
ied
byb
oth
ofth
em
etho
ds(a
)an
d(b
)by
whi
chit
isso
ught
toal
levi
ate
it.It
henc
ebe
com
esap
pare
ntth
atde
spit
ean
exce
ssof
wea
lth
civi
lso
ciet
yis
no
tri
chen
ough
,i.e
.,its
ow
nre
sour
ces
are
insu
ffi
cien
tto
chec
kex
cess
ive
pove
rty
and
the
crea
tion
ofa
penu
riou
sra
bble
.1
246.
Thi
sin
ner
dial
ecti
cof
civi
lsoc
iety
thus
driv
esit
-or
atan
yra
tedr
ives
asp
ecif
icci
vils
ocie
ty-
top
ush
beyo
ndits
ow
nli
mit
san
dse
ekm
arke
ts,
and
soits
nece
ssar
ym
eans
ofsu
bsis
tenc
e,in
1In
the
exam
ple
ofE
ngla
ndw
em
ayst
udy
thes
eph
enom
ena
on
ala
rge
scal
ean
dal
soin
part
icul
arin
the
resu
lts
ofpo
or-r
ates
,im
men
sefo
unda
tion
s,un
lim
it
edpr
ivat
ebe
nefi
cenc
e,an
dab
ove
all
the
abol
itio
nof
the
Gui
ldC
orpo
rati
ons.
InB
rita
in,p
arti
cula
rly
inSc
otla
nd,t
hem
ostd
irec
tmea
sure
agai
nstp
over
tyan
des
peci
ally
agai
nst
the
loss
ofsh
ame
and
self
-res
pect
-th
esu
bjec
tive
base
sof
soci
ety
-as
wel
las
agai
nstl
azin
ess
and
extr
avag
ance
,et
c.,
the
bege
tter
sof
the
rabb
le,
has
turn
edo
utt
obe
tole
ave
the
poor
toth
eir
fate
and
inst
ruct
them
tobe
gin
the
stre
ets.
150 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Colonialism in the Internal Logic ofCapitalist Modernity
243. When civil society is in a state of unimpeded activity, it isengaged in expanding internally in population and industry. Theamassing of wealth is intensified by generalizing (a) the linkageof men by their needs, and (b) the methods of preparing anddistributing the means to satisfy these needs, because it is fromthis double process of generalization that the largest profits arederived. That is one side of the picture. The other side is thesubdivision and restriction of particular jobs. This results in thedependence and distress of the class tied to work of that sort,and these again entail inability to feel and enjoy the broaderfreedoms and especially the intellectual benefits of civil society.[Par. 246 considers the external expansion of civil society; italicsadded by editor.]
244. When the standard of living of a large mass of people fallsbelow a certain subsistence level - a level regulated automatically as the one necessary for a member of the society - andwhen there is a consequent loss of the sense of right and wrong,of honesty and the self-respect which makes a man insist onmaintaining himself by his own work and effort, the result is thecreation of a rabble of paupers. At the same time this brings withit, at the other end of the social scale, conditions which greatlyfacilitate the concentration of disproportionate wealth in a fewhands.
Additions to par. 244: The lowest subsistence level, that of arabble of paupers, is fixed automatically, but the minimum variesconsiderably in different countries. In England, even the poorestbelieve that they have rights; this is different from what satisfiesthe poor in other countries. Poverty in itself does not make meninto a rabble; a rabble is created only when there is joined topoverty a disposition of mind, an inner indignation against therich, against society, against the government, etc. A further consequence of this attitude is that through their dependence onchance men become frivolous and idle, like the Neapolitanlazzaroni, for example. In this way there is born in the rabble the
On Colonialism 151
evil of lacking self-respect enough to secure subsistence by itsown labour and yet at the same time of claiming to receivesubsistence as its right. Against nature man can claim no right,but once society is established, poverty immediately takes theform of a wrong done to one class by another. The importantquestion of how poverty is to be abolished is one of the mostdisturbing problems which agitate modern society.
245. When the masses begin to decline into poverty, (a) theburden of maintaining them at their ordinary standard of livingmight be directly laid on the wealthier classes, or they mightreceive the means of livelihood directly from other publicsources of wealth (e.g. from the endowments of rich hospitals,monasteries, and other foundations). In either case, however,the needy would receive subsistence directly, not by means oftheir work, and this would violate the principle of civil society
. and the feeling of individual independence and self-respect in itsindividual members. (b) As an alternative, they might be givensubsistence indirectly though being given work, Le. opportunityto work. In this event the volume of· production would be inqeased, but the evil consists precisely in an excess of productionand in the lack of a proportionate number of consumers who arethemselves also producers, and thus it is simply intensified byboth of the methods (a) and (b) by which it is sought to alleviateit. It hence becomes apparent that despite an excess of wealthcivil society is not rich enough, Le., its own resources are insufficient to check excessive poverty and the creation of a penuriousrabble.1
246. This inner dialectic of civil society thus drives it - or at anyrate drives a specific civil society - to push beyond its own limitsand seek markets, and so its necessary means of subsistence, in
1 In the example of England we may study these phenomena on a large scaleand also in particular in the results of poor-rates, immense foundations, unlimited private beneficence, and above all the abolition of the Guild Corporations.In Britain, particularly in Scotland, the most direct measure against poverty andespecially against the loss of shame and self-respect - the subjective bases ofsociety - as well as against laziness and extravagance, etc., the begetters of therabble, has turned out to be to leave the poor to their fate and instruct them tobeg in the streets.
152
Geo
rgW
ilhel
mFr
iedr
ich
Heg
el
othe
rla
nds
whi
char
eei
ther
defi
cien
tin
the
good
sit
has
over
pr
oduc
ed,
orel
sege
nera
lly
back
war
din
indu
stry
,et
c.
247.
The
prin
cipl
eof
fam
ily
life
isde
pend
ence
onth
eso
il,o
nla
nd,
terr
afir
ma.
Sim
ilarl
y,th
ena
tura
lel
emen
tfo
rin
dust
ry,
anim
atin
gits
outw
ard
mov
emen
t,is
the
sea.
Sinc
eth
epa
ssio
nfo
rga
inin
volv
esri
sk,
indu
stry
thou
ghbe
nton
gain
yetl
ifts
itse
lfab
ove
it;in
stea
dof
rem
aini
ngro
oted
toth
eso
ilan
dth
eli
mit
edci
rcle
ofci
vil
life
wit
hits
plea
sure
san
dde
sire
s,it
embr
aces
the
elem
ent
offl
ux,
dang
er,
and
dest
ruct
ion.
Fur
ther
,th
ese
ais
the
grea
test
mea
nsof
com
mun
icat
ions
,an
dtr
ade
byse
acr
eate
sco
mm
erci
alco
nnex
ions
betw
een
dist
ant
coun
trie
san
dso
rela
ti
ons
invo
lvin
gco
ntra
ctua
lri
ghts
.A
tth
esa
me
tim
e,co
mm
erce
ofth
iski
ndis
the
mos
tpo
tent
inst
rllm
ent
ofcu
ltur
e,an
dth
roug
hit
trad
eac
quir
esits
sign
ific
ance
inth
ehi
stor
yof
the
wor
ld..
.
248.
Thi
sfa
r-fl
ung
conn
ecti
ngli
nkaf
ford
sth
em
eans
for
the
colo
nizi
ngac
tivi
ty-
spor
adic
orsy
stem
atic
-to
whi
chth
em
atur
eci
vil
soci
ety
isdr
iven
and
byw
hich
itsu
ppli
esto
apa
rtof
itspo
pula
tion
are
turn
tolif
eo
na
fam
ilyba
sis
ina
new
land
,an
dso
also
supp
lies
itsel
fw
ith
an
ewde
man
dan
dfi
eld
for
itsin
dust
ry.
Add
ition
sto
par.
248:
Civ
ilso
ciet
yis
thus
driv
ento
foun
dco
loni
es.I
ncre
ase
ofpo
pula
tion
alon
eha
sth
isef
fect
, but
itis
due
inpa
rtic
ular
toth
eap
pear
ance
ofa
num
ber
of.p
eopl
ew
hoca
nnot
secu
reth
esa
tis@
ctio
nof
thei
rne
eds
byth
eil'
ow
nla
bour
once
prod
ucti
onri
ses
abov
eth
ere
quir
emen
tsof
cons
umer
s.S
pora
dic
colo
niza
tion
ispa
rtic
ular
lych
arac
teri
stic
ofG
erm
any.
The
emig
rant
sw
ithd
raw
toA
mer
ica
or:R
.u!:s
iaan
dre
mai
nth
ere
wit
hn
oho
me
ties,
and
sopr
ove
usel
ess
toth
eir
nati
vela
nd.T
hese
cond
and
enti
rely
diff
eren
tty
peof
colo
niza
tion
isth
esy
stem
at
ic;
the
stat
eun
dert
akes
it,is
awar
eof
the
prop
erm
etho
dof
carr
ying
ito
ut
and
regu
late
sit
acco
rdin
gly.
Thi
sty
pew
asco
m
mo
nam
ongs
tth
ean
cien
ts,
part
icul
arly
the
Gre
eks.
Har
dw
ork
was
not
the
busi
ness
ofth
eci
tize
nsin
Gre
ece,
sinc
eth
eir
ener
gyw
asdi
rect
edra
ther
topu
blic
affa
irs.
Soif
the
popu
lati
onin
cr
ease
dto
such
anex
tent
that
ther
em
ight
bedi
ffic
ulty
infe
edin
git
,th
eyo
ung
peop
lew
ould
bese
ntaw
ayto
an
ewdi
stri
ct,
som
etim
essp
ecif
ical
lych
osen
,so
met
imes
left
toch
ance
disc
oy
ery.
Inm
oder
nti
mes
,co
loni
sts
have
no
tbe
enal
low
edth
esa
me
On
Col
onia
lism
153
righ
tsas
thos
ele
ftat
hom
e,an
dth
ere
sult
ofth
issi
tuat
ion
has
been
war
san
dfi
nall
yin
depe
nden
ce,
asm
aybe
seen
inth
ehi
stor
yof
the
Eng
lish
and
Spa
nish
colo
nies
.C
olon
iali
ndep
end
ence
prov
esto
beof
the
grea
test
adva
ntag
eto
the
mot
her
coun
tr
y,ju
stas
the
eman
cipa
tion
ofsl
aves
turn
so
ut
toth
egr
eate
stad
vant
age
ofth
eow
ners
.
249.
Whi
leth
epu
blic
auth
orit
ym
usta
lso
unde
rtak
eth
ehi
gher
dire
ctiv
efu
ncti
onof
prov
idin
gfo
rth
ein
tere
sts
whi
chle
adbe
yo
ndth
ebo
rder
sof
its
soci
ety
(see
par.
246)
,its
prim
ary
purp
ose
isto
actu
aliz
ean
dm
aint
ain
the
univ
ersa
lco
ntai
ned
wit
hin
the
part
icul
arit
yof
civi
lso
ciet
y,an
dits
cont
rol
take
sth
efo
rmof
anex
tern
alsy
stem
and
orga
niza
tion
for
the
prot
ecti
onan
dse
curi
tyof
part
icul
aren
dsan
din
tere
sts
enm
asse
,in
asm
uch
asth
ese
inte
rest
ssu
bsis
ton
lyin
this
univ
ersa
l.T
his
univ
ersa
lis
imm
an
enti
nth
ein
tere
sts
ofpa
rtic
ular
ity
itse
lfan
d,in
acco
rdan
cew
ith
the
Idea
,pa
rtic
ular
ity
mak
esit
the
end
and
obje
ctof
itso
wn
wil
ling
and
acti
vity
.In
this
way
ethi
calp
rinc
iple
sci
rcle
back
and
appe
arin
civi
lso
ciet
yas
afa
ctor
imm
anen
tin
it;th
isco
nsti
tute
sth
esp
ecif
icch
arac
ter
ofth
eC
orpo
rati
on.
152 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
other lands which are either deficient in the goods it has overproduced, or else generally backward in industry, etc.
247. The principle of family life is dependence on the soil, onland, terra firma. Similarly, the natural element for industry,animating its outward movement, is the sea. Since the passionfor gain involves risk, industry though bent on gain yet lifts itselfabove it; instead of remaining rooted to the soil and the limitedcircle of civil life with its pleasures and desires, it embraces theelement of flux, danger, and destruction. Further, the sea is thegreatest means of communications, and trade by sea createscommercial connexions between distant countries and so relations involving contractual rights. At the same time, commerceof this kind is the most potent instrument of culture, andthrough it trade acquires its significance in the history of theworld ...
248. This far-flung connecting link affords the means for thecolonizing activity - sporadic or systematic - to which the maturecivil society is driven and by which it supplies to a part of itspopulation a return to life on a family basis in a new land, and soalso supplies itself with a new demand and field for its industry.
Additions to par. 248: Civil society is thus driven to foundcolonies. Increase of population alone has this effect, but it is duein particular to the appearance of a number of. people whocannot secure the satis~ctionof their needs by theif own labouronce production rises above the requirements of consumers.Sporadic colonization is particularly characteristic of Germany.The emigrants withdraw to America or Ru!:sia and remain therewith no home ties, and so prove useless to their native land. Thesecond and entirely different type of colonization is the systematic; the state undertakes it, is aware of the proper method ofcarrying it out and regulates it accordingly. This type was common amongst the ancients, particularly the Greeks. Hard workwas not the business of the citizens in Greece, since their energywas directed rather to public affairs. So if the population increased to such an extent that there might be difficulty in feedingit, the young people would be sent away to a new district,sometimes specifically chosen, sometimes left to chance discoyery. In modern times, colonists have not been allowed the same
On Colonialism 153
rights as those left at home, and the result of this situation hasbeen wars and finally independence, as may be seen in thehistory of the English and Spanish colonies. Colonial independence proves to be of the greatest advantage to the mother country, just as the emancipation of slaves turns out to the greatestadvantage of the owners.
249. While the public authority must also undertake the higherdirective function of providing for the interests which lead beyond the borders ofits society (see par. 246), its primary purposeis to actualize and maintain the universal contained within theparticularity of civil society, and its control takes the form of anexternal system and organization for the protection and securityof particular ends and interests en masse, inasmuch as theseinterests subsist only in this universal. This universal is immanent in the interests of particularity itself and, in accordance withthe Idea, particularity makes it the end and object of its ownwilling and activity. In this way ethical principles circle back andappear in civil society as a factor immanent in it; this constitutesthe specific character of the Corporation.
Recommended