[p. 553]
Appendix: Two Drafts for the Reform Bill Essay1)
1) Editors: cf. also Notizen und Aphorismen No. 30 ff., pp. 567 f.
Two drafts from Hegel’s papers, printed among the fragments in the Werke (vol. 11, pp. 553 ff.). The second draft carries the argument further than the printed essay, whose publication broke off in the newspaper.
[1831]
1.
The English rabble commits excès tout nets, in the sense of a particular interest of the particular substance – destroying steam engines, –
the French, from a general political motive, July days, December disturbances, trial of the ministers, Feb. churches, conspiracy of the Carlists, – carries out in its own way what belongs to the government.
One says in defence or at least in excuse: “The people has done that.” One must not forget how irritated [it is]; it is in the wrong against the law, but from a just principle, – has afterwards returned again to calm. If, on the contrary, the government revolted against the law from an equally political motive, let plunder happen [etc.], would one excuse it likewise [?]. Crying out about the worst tyranny.
The English people is the least political; political life quite weak. Selling of the vote, like the Roman people in the last times of the Republic. The emperors gave it, like the party heads, drinks and gifts of money and only spared it the trouble, for the money it received, of shouting in the market-place, of letting itself be cudgelled and murdered, of laying about it. Its interest was in the one situation as in the other corn and money and circenses, and this was satisfied in both.
Freedom – for money – and to give my vote to the highest bidder.
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