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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

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itsal

lth

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ased

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ects

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othe

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aces

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the

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ose

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ust

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.B

utif

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roes

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atis

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som

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ow

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the

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ch

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succ

eede

din

reac

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the

inte

rior

have

disc

over

edla

rge

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res,

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ese

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mes

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"Geo

grap

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lBas

iso/

Wor

ldH

isto

ry"

139

the

Ash

anti

,h

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oUnd

edby

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dees

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oar

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ect

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chpr

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tsh

imw

ith

thre

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rrot

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.T

hede

lega

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then

pu

tfo

rwar

dce

rtai

npr

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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

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edge

sth

eir

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will

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tire

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tmen

ts;

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nto

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er,

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tha

shi

mse

lfst

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led

byhi

s

wom

en.

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ngof

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Ash

anti

wh

oal

low

edhi

mse

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bede

­

tain

edin

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dom

ofhi

sfa

ther

-in-

law

byth

ebl

andi

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ents

.of

his

wif

ew

assi

mil

arly

depo

sed

twen

tyye

ars

ago.

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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.

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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

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ods

ofti

me.

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ral

lth

eir

good

natu

re,

they

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ansp

orts

offr

enzy

.T

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are

cons

ciou

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whi

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serv

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spec

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and

for

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rost

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hich

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asse

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lbe

lief.

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lish

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port

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wh

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tiha

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nce

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man

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chha

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ano

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Eng

lish

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dent

Hut

chin

son

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hth

efo

llow

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sage

:"C

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tian

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dw

atch

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mes

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awn

his

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dan

dw

illsm

ite

the

neck

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man

yof

the

Ash

anti

;w

hen

the

drum

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unde

d,it

wil

lbe

the

sign

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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

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ng,

arm

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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

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roug

hth

est

reet

sw

ere

stru

ckdo

wn.

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erth

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s,no

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4T.

E.B

owdi

ch,M

issi

on/r

omC

ape

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astle

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tee,

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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

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tack

and

take

nap

prop

riat

epr

ecau

tion

s.O

nsu

choc

casi

ons,

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king

has

all w

ho

mh

ere

gard

sas

susp

ectk

illed

,an

dth

ede

edth

enta

kes

on

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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

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ceas

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anar

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tere

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isde

cree

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atth

eir

head

sbe

long

toth

efe

tish

and

thei

rbo

dies

toth

ere

lati

ves,

wh

odu

lyde

vour

them

.W

hen

the

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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.

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wiv

esof

the

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prep

are

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nd,

asal

read

ym

enti

oned

,th

ere

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3,33

3of

them

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them

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prep

arat

ion

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it,an

dor

der

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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

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ko

ut

ever

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re,

and

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ate

reve

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isgi

ven

free

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.O

non

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casi

on,

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wo

men

died

inth

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lace

inth

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eed

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int t

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ghte

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hem

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ful

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ance

isth

atof

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erth

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ongo

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,an

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ely

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olut

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dw

asco

nsta

ntly

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nfli

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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

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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.