GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

THE IDEALIST THEORY OF THE STATE 585
doctrine of "the freedom of the State from all external
restraints", and Hobbes dogmatically remarks that "States
are by nature enemies".
The State tends, therefore, to be discussed as though
it were equivalent to the whole of human society, and
what would normally be regarded as two distinct relation*
of the individual as a
ships, namely, the relationship
citizen of a State to that State, and his relationship as a
member of the human race to mankind as a whole, tend
to be treated as if they were identical. Since the State is
regarded as representing and containing within itself all
the individual's social aspirations, and at the same time
fulfilling all his social, needs, whatever claims the State
may make upon the individual are held to be based upon
an absolute authority. In so far as the claims of associations
other than the State are considered,
it is assumed that
the claims of the State must necessarily override them.
II. STATEMENT OF THE THEORY
We are now in a position to state the main conclusions
of idealist theory.
(i) The Concept of Social Righteousness
I begin with its ethical side. The foundation of
Hegel's distinctive view of the State is the conception of
Social Righteousness. (The German word for Social
Righteousness is Sittlichkeit; unfortunately, there is no
exact English equivalent.) The Hegelian conception of
Social Righteousness develops ideas which are implicit in
Plato's account of justice; it also derives features from
Rousseau's General Will; its immediate ancestor is, how-
ever, the moral philosophy of Kant. In what, asked Kant,
does morality consist? and answered, in the exercise of the
free will in accordance with the dictates of the moral imperative.
1 Kant's moral philosophy was criticized by Hegel on
the ground that it was individualistic and subjective. It was
1 See Chapter VI, pp. aoa-aoy, for an account of Kanfi viewi.