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subsists in isolated singleness； this is its sole object； an object that has no other content left； no
other possession； existence and external extension； but is merely this knowledge of itself as
absolutely pure and free individual self。 The point at which this object can be laid hold of is solely
its abstract existence in general。
The relation； then； of these two； since they exist for themselves indivisibly and absolutely and thus
cannot arrange for a common part to act as a means for connecting them； is pure negation entirely
devoid of mediation； the negation； moreover； of the individual as a factor existing within the
universal。 The sole and only work and deed accomplished by universal freedom is therefore
deatha death that achieves nothing； embraces nothing within its grasp； for what is negated is the
unachieved； unfulfilled punctual entity of the absolutely free self。 It is thus the most cold…blooded
and meaningless death of all； with no more significance than cleaving a head of cabbage or
swallowing a draught of water。
In this single expressionless syllable consists the wisdom of the government； the intelligence of the
universal will； this is how it fulfils itself。 The government is itself nothing but the self…established
focus； the individual embodiment of the universal will。 Government； a power to will and perform
proceeding from a single focus； wills and performs at the same time a determinate order and
action。 In doing so it； on the one hand； excludes other individuals from a share in its deed； and； on
the other； thereby constitutes itself a form of government which is a specifically determinate will
and eo ipso opposed to the universal will。 By no manner of means； therefore； can it exhibit itself as
anything but a faction。 The victorious faction only is called the government； and just in that it is a
faction lies the direct necessity of its overthrow； and its being government makes it； conversely；
into a faction and hence guilty。 When the universal will fastens on this concrete action of the
government and treats this as the crime which the government has committed against the universal
will； then the government on its side has nothing tangible and external left whereby to establish and
show the guilt of the will opposing itself to it； for what thus stands opposed to it as concrete actual
universal will is merely unreal pure will； mere intention。 Being suspected； therefore； takes the place；
or has the significance and effect； of being guilty； and the external reaction against this reality that
lies in bare inward intention； consists in the and barren destruction of this particular existent self； in
whose case there is nothing else to take away but its mere existence。
In this its characteristically peculiar performance； absolute freedom becomes objective to itself；
and self…consciousness finds out what this freedom is。 In itself it is just this abstract
self…consciousness； which destroys all distinction and all subsistence of distinction within itself。 It is
object to itself in this shape； the terror of death is the direct apprehension （Anschauung） of this its
negative nature。 This its reality； however； absolute free self…consciousness finds quite different from
what its own notion of itself was； viz。 that the universal will is merely the positive substance of
personality； and that this latter knows itself in it only positively； knows itself preserved there。
Rather for this self …consciousness； which qua pure insight completely separates its positive and
negative natureseparates the unpredicated Absolute qua pure thought and qua pure matterthe
absolute transition of the one into the other is found here present in its reality。 The universal will；
qua absolutely positive concrete self…consciousnessbecause it is this self…conscious actuality
raised to the level of pure thought or abstract matterturns round into the negative entity； and
shows itself at the same time to be what cancels and does away with self…thinking or
self…consciousness。
Absolute freedom qua pure self…identity of universal will thus carries with it negation； but in doing
so contains distinction in general； and develops this again as concrete actual difference。 For pure
negativity finds in the self…identical universal will the element of subsistence； or the substance in
which its moments get their realization； it has the matter which it can convert into the specific
nature of its own being； and in so far as this substance has manifested itself to be the negative
element for the individual consciousness； the organization of the spiritual spheres or 〃masses〃 of the
substance； to which the plurality of conscious individuals is assigned； thus takes shape and form
once more。 These individuals； who felt the fear of death； their absolute lord and master； submit to
negation and distinction once more； arrange themselves under the 〃spheres〃； and return to a
restricted。 and apportioned task； but thereby to their substantial reality。
Out of this tumult spirit would be； hurled back upon its starting point； the ethical world and the real
world of spiritual culture； which would thus have been merely refreshed and rejuvenated by the
fear of the lord； that has again entered men's hearts。 Spirit would have anew to traverse and
continually repeat this cycle of necessity； if only complete interpenetration of self…consciousness
and the substance were the final result： an interpenetration in which self…consciousness； which has
experienced the force of its universal nature operating negatively upon it； would try to know and
find itself not as this particular self…consciousness but only as universal； and hence； too； would be
able to endure the objective reality of universal spirit； a reality； excluding self…consciousness qua
particular。
But this is not the form the final result assumed。 For in absolute freedom there was no reciprocal
interaction either between an external world and consciousness； which is absorbed in manifold
existence or sets itself determinate purposes and ideas； or between consciousness and an external
objective world； be it a world of reality or of thought。 What that freedom contained was the world
absolutely in the form of consciousness； as a universal will； and； along with that； self…consciousness
gathered out of all the dispersion and manifoldness of existence or all the manifold ends and
judgments of mind； and concentrated into the bare and simple self。 The form of culture； which it
attains in interaction with that essential nature； is； therefore； the grandest and the last； is that of
seeing its pure and simple reality immediately disappear and pass away into empty nothingness。（3）
In the sphere of culture itself it does not get the length of viewing its negation or alienation in this
form of pure abstraction； its negation is negation with a filling and a content…either honour and
wealth； which it gains in the place of the self that it has alienated from itself； or the language of
esprit and insight； which the distraught consciousness acquires； or； again； the negation is the
heaven of belief or the principle of utility belonging to the stage of enlightenment。 All these
determinate elements disappear with the disaster and ruin that overtake the self in the state of
absolute freedom；（4） its negation is meaningless death； sheer horror of the negative which has
nothing positive in it； nothing that gives a filling。
At the same time； however； this negation in its actual manifestation is not something alien and
external。 It is neither that universal background of necessity in which the moral world is swamped；
nor the particular accident of private possession； the whims and humours of the owner； on which
the distraught consciousness finds itself dependent； it is universal will； which in this its last
abstraction has nothing positive； and hence can give nothing in return for the sacrifice。 But just on
that account this will is in unmediated oneness with self…consciousness； it is the pure positive
because it is the pure negative； and that meaningless death； the unfilled； vacuous negativity of self；
in its inner constitutive principle； turns round into absolute positivity。 For consciousness； the
immediate unity of itself with universal will； its demand to know itself as this particular determinate
centre in the universal will； is changed and converted into the absolutely opposite experience。
What it loses there； is abstract being； the immediate existence of that insubstantial centre； and this
vanished immediacy is the universal will as such which it now knows itself to be； so far as it is
superseded and cancelled immediacy； so far as it is pure knowledge or pure will。 By this means it
knows that will to be itself； and knows itself to be essential reality； but not as the immediate
essence； not will as revolutionary government or anarchy struggling to establish an anarchical
constitution； nor itself as a centre of this faction or the opposite； the universal will is its pure
knowing and willing； and it is universal will qua this pure knowledge and volition。 It does not lose
itself there； for pure knowledge and volition is it far more than that atomic point of consciousn