Outlines of the Philosophy of Right

What is rational is actual and what is actual is rational. Hegel's Outlines of the Philosophy of Right is one of the greatest works of moral, social, and political philosophy. It contains significant ideas on justice, moral responsibility, family life, economic activity, and the political structure of the state - all matters of profound interest to us today. Hegel's aim is to lay out the various forms that human freedom must take on, if it is to be true freedom. He seeks to show that genuine human freedom does not consist in doing whatever we please, but involves living with others in accordance with publicly recognized rights and laws. Hegel demonstrates that institutions such as the family and the state provide the context in which individuals can flourish and enjoy full freedom. He also demonstrates that misunderstanding the true nature of freedom can lead to crime, evil, and poverty. His penetrating analysis of the causes of poverty in modern civil society was to be a great influence on Karl Marx. Hegel's study remains one of the most subtle and perceptive accounts of freedom that we possess.
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