Comments on: 67

By: Hegel (Simple)

Hegel (Simple) — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:37:52 +0000

§ 67: Work for others, but not your whole life

I have abilities, of body and of mind. I can do carpentry, do sums or sing. May I leave these abilities to someone else?

Yes, but only within limits.

I can sell a single work, for example a table. I can hire out my working time, for example eight hours a day. That is allowed. For a limited part of my strength stands outside me. I stay myself in doing so.

Where is the limit?

It would be different if I gave away all my time and everything I ever make. Then I would give away all my activity. And with it, myself. I would become the property of someone else.

A comparison:

A slave in ancient Athens sometimes had easier and more intelligent work than a servant today. Still, he was a slave. For not one hour of his life belonged to him.

It is as with a thing. Whoever has the whole use has the thing itself. Whoever has all my powers at his disposal has me at his disposal.

Summary: I may sell single works and limited working time. I may not sell my whole life. Otherwise I myself would become goods for sale.

By: Eduard Gans (Additions)

Eduard Gans (Additions) — Wed, 29 May 1833 13:15:23 +0000

The distinction set forth here is that between a slave and present-day domestic servants or a day-laborer. The Athenian slave perhaps had lighter duties and more intellectual work than our servants generally have, but he was nevertheless a slave, because the entire compass of his activity had been alienated to his master.

By: Hegel (Notes)

Hegel (Notes) — Fri, 29 Nov 1822 08:08:32 +0000

Relation of the absolute inner to its externality.
By an other, i.e., the [use] that another can make of it.