Reference no: EM132860101

Discussion 1: Hegel's account of "Civil Society" in the Elements of the Philosophy of Right is one of his important contributions to social and political philosophy. Hegel asserts that Civil Society has three aspects: System of Needs, Administration of Justice and the Police (or Public Authority) and Corporation (Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Section 188). Explain and critically discuss Hegel's notion of Civil Society focusing on his account of the Police (or Public Authority) and the Corporation (Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Sections 230-256). Carefully explain what these entities do, how they are related to the System of Needs, and the roles they play in his philosophy of the State. Be sure to provide relevant textual support in evidence of your interpretation.

Discussion 2: In his early work, "Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right: Introduction," Marx makes three striking claims. One is that the criticism of religion has been completed and that "the criticism of religion is the premise of all criticism" (MER, 54). A second claim concerns the backwardness of conditions in Germany, in relation both to other modern nations and the German philosophy of right, and the consequences of this fact for criticism (MER, 54-59). A third is that criticism of the German philosophy of right leads to "tasks which can only be solved by practical activity" (MER, 60) with the corollary that real emancipation in Germany requires bringing together philosophy with the proletariat (MER, 64-65). Provide an interpretation and critical discussion of these three claims.