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Full Idea
The soul [of the people] exists only insofar as it is an organisation of its members, which - by taking itself together in its simple unity - produce the soul. Thus the people is one individuality in its essence.
Gist of Idea
The soul of the people is an organisation of its members which produces an essential unity
Source
Georg W.F.Hegel (Introduction to the Philosophy of History [1840], 3)
Book Ref
Hegel,Georg W.F.: 'Introduction to the Philosophy of History', ed/tr. Rauch,Leo [Hackett 1988], p.55
A Reaction
Hegel is seen (e.g. by Charles Taylor) as the ancestor of a rather attractive communitarianism, but I think Popper is more accurate in seeing him as the first stage of modern totalitarianism. The people seen as one individual terrifies me.
| 20109 | Hegel inserted society and history between the God-world, man-nature, man-being binary pairs [Hegel, by Safranski] |
| 23270 | We should all agree that there is reason in history [Hegel] |
| 23274 | World history has no room for happiness [Hegel] |
| 23275 | The state of nature is one of untamed brutality [Hegel] |
| 23276 | The soul of the people is an organisation of its members which produces an essential unity [Hegel] |
| 23272 | The human race matters, and individuals have little importance [Hegel] |
| 23273 | In a good state the goal of the citizens and of the whole state are united [Hegel] |
| 23271 | The goal of the world is Spirit's consciousness and enactment of freedom [Hegel] |