Hegel’s Ethical State and the Realization of Freedom: Rethinking Political Ethics in the Philosophy of Right

Authors

Keywords:

Hegel, Ethical State, Freedom, Political Ethics, Democracy

Abstract

The persistent tension between individual freedom, moral responsibility, and the ethical foundations of political institutions raises a fundamental question concerning the role of the state in realizing a free and ethical social order. This study examines Hegel’s conception of the state as the actualization of ethical life (Sittlichkeit) in Elements of the Philosophy of Right and explores its implications for contemporary political ethics. The study employs a philosophical-hermeneutic method combining close textual interpretation, dialectical analysis, and contextual reflection on Hegel’s account of freedom, ethical life, civil society, and the state. Its novelty lies in interpreting Hegel’s ethical state not simply as a theory of political authority, but as a philosophical framework for understanding the institutional conditions under which individual freedom can become ethically substantive. The analysis demonstrates that Hegel rejects both atomistic individualism and the conception of the state as merely an instrument of collective interests. Instead, the state emerges dialectically from the development of family and civil society as the concrete realization of rational freedom and ethical universality. Freedom, therefore, is not equivalent to unrestricted individual autonomy but is realized through participation in rational and ethical institutions. The study argues that Hegel’s conception provides a critical resource for rethinking political ethics by reconnecting freedom, institutional responsibility, and the common good, with particular relevance to contemporary democratic life in Indonesia.

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Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Ramadhan, R., Mahmudah, R., & Manurung, A. S. (2026). Hegel’s Ethical State and the Realization of Freedom: Rethinking Political Ethics in the Philosophy of Right. Islamic Thought Review, 4(1), 30–48. Retrieved from https://ejournal.uinbukittinggi.ac.id/ITR/article/view/10443

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Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026): June 2026

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Copyright (c) 2026 Rahmad Ramadhan, Rifaatul Mahmudah, Agil Shodiki Manurung

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