Hegel on Freedom and Authority (University of Wales Press - Political Philosophy Now)

While Hegel’s political philosophy has been attacked on the left by republican democrats and on the right by feudalist reactionaries, his apologists see him as a liberal reformer, a moderate who theorized about the development of a free-market society within the bounds of a stabilizing constitutional state. This centrist view has gained ascendancy since the end of the Second World War, enshrining Hegel within the liberal tradition. In this book, Renato Cristi argues that, like the Prussian liberal reformers of his time, Hegel was committed to expand the scope of a free economy and concurrently to ensure that the social practice of subjective freedom did not endanger political stability and order. Aware that a system of mutual advantage failed to integrate the members of civil society and that profound social disharmonies were ineradicable, Hegel adopted the views of the French liberal __doctrinaires__, who sought to realize the principles of the French Revolution by supporting Louis XVIII’s sovereign assertion of the monarchical principle. Not surprisingly, Hegel hailed the French __Charte__ of June 1814 as a beacon of freedom. Endorsement of the monarchical principle was meant to prevent the atomized individuals of civil society from gaining control of the state through appeals to popular sovereignty. This challenges most conventional interpretations of Hegel’s theory of the state and draws it closer to the conservative-authoritarian end of the political spectrum than is usual. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Author’s note......Page 11 Introduction......Page 12 1. The Hegelsche Mitte and Hegel’s monarch......Page 37 2. Freedom and authority: complexio oppositorum......Page 52 3. The epistemology of freedom and authority......Page 66 4. Property and recognition......Page 87 5. Liberal civil society......Page 102 6. Hegel’s constitutional monarchy: monarchical rather than constitutional......Page 120 7. Hegel and Roman liberalism......Page 140 8. Marx’s critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: metaphysical not political......Page 154 Conclusion......Page 171 Notes......Page 182 References......Page 211 C......Page 226 F......Page 227 H......Page 228 M......Page 229 R......Page 230 S......Page 231 Y......Page 232 Index of PhR paragraphs......Page 233 In This Book, Renato Cristi Argues That, Like The Prussian Liberal Reformers Of His Time, Hegel Was Committed To Expand The Scope Of A Free Economy And Concurrently To Ensure That The Social Practice Of Subjective Freedom Did Not Endanger Political Stability And Order.--jacket. 1. The Hegelsche Mitte And Hegel's Monarch -- 2. Freedom And Authority : Complexio Oppositorum -- 3. The Epistemology Of Freedom And Authority -- 4. Property And Recognition -- 5. Liberal Civil Society -- 6. Hegel's Constitutional Monarchy : Monarchical Rather Than Constitutional -- 7. Hegel And Roman Liberalism -- 8. Marx's Critique Of Hegel's Philosophy Of Right : Metaphysical Not Political. Renato Cristi. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [200]-213) And Indexes. Hegel's concept of civil society endorses a market economy and a liberal outlook. But his concept of state culminates in an authoritarian prince who is protector of the constitution. The tensions and contradictions that plague Hegel's liberal society that cannot be resolved by its own civil institutions, motivate his conservative authoritarianism.