Hegel’s Philosophy of History Part I

Hegel’s Philosophy of History: The Oriental World

• The study of the Oriental World begins only from the emergence of structured States; earlier developments, like language and race formation, are pre-historical.
• History is characterized as prose, distinguishing it from myths and symbols that lack concrete factual basis.
• Consciousness of existence is linked with the ability to form abstract thoughts, which progresses alongside the capacity to express laws governing life.
• Historical understanding requires moving beyond mere subjective disposition or conscience; it is rooted in external laws shaping society.
• The Oriental World is defined by morality as a substantial principle, presenting the first instance of the subjugation of arbitrary will to moral laws.
• Laws in the Oriental World dictate moral distinctions, with the subjective will subjected to external authority rather than personal conviction.
• Justice in this context is enforced through external moral structures, governed by a form of compulsion, without recognition of internal moral sentiments.
• While the laws may embody ethical perfection, moral actions are legislated and performed externally, lacking an intrinsic motivation or internal sanction.
• The spiritual development of the individual is still closely tied to natural conditions, with Law and Moral Sense not yet differentiated.
• Religion and the State are unified under theocratic principles, where divine authority permeates secular governance.
• The Oriental conception of God remains undeveloped in comparison to later Western notions that aspire to higher spiritual consciousness.
• The law is perceived as an absolute external force rather than a reflection of individual will.
• The Asiatic World is divided into four historical regions:
  • River-plains of the Yellow and Blue Streams (China and Mongols)
  • Ganges and Indus valleys
  • Oxus and Jaxartes, Persia, and Euphrates-Tigris valleys (Hither-Asia)
  • Nile River Plain
• History in China and the Mongols begins under a theocratic despotism, characterized by a patriarchal structure.
• In China, the Monarch acts as both Chief and Patriarch, managing laws that merge civil and moral requirements; individual subjectivity is not fully developed.
• The Mongol spiritual sovereignty, led by the Lama, lacks a secular political structure, signifying differences in governance between the two cultures.
• The Indian realm displays a disrupted political unity compared to China, showcasing diverse civil structures.