Public Law Studies Quarterly

The Organic Constitution in Hegel's Thought

Document Type : Article

Authors

Alireza Dabirnia 1
Saeed Barkhordari 2

1 Associate Prof., Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student in Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2023.351921.3228
Abstract
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, the German philosopher, engaged in critical rethinking of constitutionalism and the constitution shortly after the victory of the French Revolution and the adoption of a modern written constitution, as well as the realization of the fundamental ideas of the Enlightenment. Observing the undesirable outcomes of this revolution and the events that followed, Hegel argued that a society cannot be transformed and guided toward the intended goals of a constitution solely through a rational and theoretically ideal constitution viewed from a purely legal perspective. To correct this positivist and formalist view of the constitution, he emphasizes a broader concept of the constitution (referred to in this writing as the organic constitution) under the notion of ethical life within his philosophical system. This text seeks to understand what this constitution entails and its implications for certain concepts and the methodology of constitutional law studies. The organic constitution encompasses all institutions, processes, and political, social, cultural, and economic values of society. The written constitution must align with this ethical system and the organic constitution and should be amended in accordance with the changes and evolution of the spirit of the nation, which is the ethical system itself. Consequently, studies in constitutional law should encompass a broader scope beyond merely the legal study of the text of the constitution.

Keywords

bildung (education and ‎culture)
national spirit
‎ethical life
organic ‎constitution.‎
Subjects

  1. English

    1. A) Books
    2. Arato, A. (1991). A Reconstruction of Hegel's Theory of Civil Society. In: Hegel and legal theory. edited by Drucilla Cornell & others, NewYork: Routledge, 301-320.
    3. Brod, H. (1992). Hegel's Philosophy of Politics, Idealism, Identity and Modernity, United States: Westview Press.
    4. Conklin, (2008). Hegel's Laws: The Legitimacy of a Modern Legal Order. California: Stanford University Press.
    5. Siep, L. (2017). "Hegel’s Liberal, Social, and ‘Ethical’ State", in: The Oxford Handbook of Hegel. edited by Dean Moyar, London: Oxford University Press.
    6. Stillman, P. (1988). "Hegel’s Idea of Constitutionalism", in: Constitutionalism: The Philosophical Dimension. edited by Allen Rosenbaum, New York: Greenwood Press, 88-112.

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Boyd, N. (2021). Tyranny and Ethical Life in Hegel’s Political Thought: the Tyrant-Legislator and Constituent Power. Ethics & Politics, (23), 145-162. https://doi.org/10.13137/1825-5167/32025
    3. Germino, D. (1969). Hegel as a Political Theorist. Journal of Politics, 31 (4), 885-912. https://doi.org/10.2307/2128351
    4. Gledhill, J. (2013). Constructivism and Reflexive Constitution-Making Practices. Raisons politiques, (51), 63-80. https://doi.org/10.3917/rai.051.0063
    5. Hart, H. (1958). Positivism and the Separation of Law and Morals. Harvard Law Review, 71 (4), 593-629. https://doi.org/10.2307/1338225
    6. Lambier, J. (2008). The organismic state against itself: Schelling, Hegel and the life of right. European Romantic Review, 19, 131-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509580802030359
    7. Ritchie, D. (2005). Organic Constitutionalism: Rousseau, Hegel and the Constitution of Society. Journal of Law and Society, 6 )36(, 1-27.
    8. Salter, M., & Shaw, J. (1994). Towards a Critical Theory of Constitutional Law: Hegel's Contribution. Journal of Law and Society, 21 (4), 464-486. https://doi.org/10.2307/1410667
    9. Znoj, M. (2017). Political Will and Public Opinion: On Hegel’s Theory of Representation. Filosofický časopis (Philosophical Journal), (65), 17-40.

     

    1. C) Theses:
    2. Kayser, C. (1995). Law, Politics, and Morality: Dworkin's Jurisprudence in a Hegelian Perspective. Dissertations. 3496, Chicago: Loyola University.

     

    References In Persian:

    1. A) Books
    2. Ardebili, M. M. (2018). Hegelian University. in Philosophy of University. Reza Mahouzi. Tehran: Cultural and Social Studies Research Institute, 85-108 (In persian).
    3. Aristotle (2002). Politics. Hamid Enayat, Tehran: Elmi & Farhangi (In persian).
    4. Barbier, M. (2016). Political Modernity. Abdol Wahab Ahmadi. Tehran: Agah (In persian).
    5. Bizer, F. (2011). Hegel. Seyyed Masoud Hosseini. Tehran: Ghoghnoos (In persian).
    6. Bristow, W. (2018). Enlightenment. Morteza Abedini Fard. Tehran: Ghoghnoos (In persian).
    7. Cassirer, Ernest (2015). Philosophy of Enlightenment. Yadullah Moqan. Tehran: Nilufar (In persian).
    8. Cassirer, E.t (2019). The Myth of the State. Tehran: Hermes (In persian).
    9. Copleston, F. (2012). History of Philosophy. Dariush Ashuri. Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Press Company. Vol. 7 (In persian).
    10. Hegel, G. W. F. (2000). Lectures on the Philosophy of History. Hamid Enayat. Tehran: Shafi'i. (In persian).
    11. _____________ (2020). Elements of the philosophy of rights. Mahbod Irani Talab. Tehran: Ghatre (In persian).
    12. _____________ (2021). The phenomenology of the Spirit. Seyyed Masoud Hosseini, Mohammad Mahdi Ardabili. Tehran: Nei (In persian).
    13. _____________ (2016). Lectures on the Philosophy of History. Ebrahim Malek Esmaili. Tehran: Negah (In persian).
    14. Hyppolite, J. (2007). An introduction to Hegel's philosophy of history. Baqer Parham. Tehran: Aghah (In persian).
    15. Inwood, Mi.l (2008). A Hegel Dictionary, Hassan Mortazavi, Tehran: Nika (In persian).
    16. Khatami, M. (2019). Introduction to Enlightenment Philosophy. Tehran: Elm (In persian).
    17. Klosko, G. (2018). History of Political Philosophy, Khashayar Dehimi: Nei. Vol. 1 (In persian).
    18. Körner, S. (2009). Kant, Ezatollah Fouladvand, Tehran: Khwarazmi Corporation Press (In persian).
    19. Pinkard, T. (2017). German Philosophy 1760-1860: The Legacy of Idealism, Neda Qatrawi. Tehran: Ghoghnoos (In persian).
    20. Qazi, A. (2016). Constitutional Law and political institutions. Tehran: Mizan (In persian).
    21. Singer, P. (2011). Hegel. Ezzatullah Foladvand, Tehran: Agahie noo (In persian).
    22. Stern, R. (2016). Hegel and Phenomenology of Spirit. Mohammad Mahdi Ardabili and Seyyed Mohammad Javad Seidi, Tehran: Ghoghnoos (In persian).
    23. Taylor, Ch. (2019). Hegel and modern society, Manouchehr Haghighi Rad, Tehran: Markaz Press (In persian).
    24. Vincent, A. (2017). Theories of the State, Hossein Bashirieh, Tehran: Ney Press (In persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 55, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
Pages 223-248

  • Receive Date 01 December 2022
  • Revise Date 10 February 2023
  • Accept Date 22 May 2023

Home

Journal Process Ethics

Peer Review Process

Submission

Indexing and Abstracting

Contact Us