The History of the world is none other than the progress of the consciousness of Freedom; a progress whose development according to the necessity of its nature, it is our business to investigate.

World history is the progress of the consciousness of freedom — a progress whose necessity we have to investigate. | As translated by Robert S. Hartman, in Reason In History, A General Introduction to the Philosophy of History (1953) | World history is the progress of the consciousness of freedom — a progress which we have to recognise in its necessity. | As quoted by Kai Froeb, in "World history is the progress of the consciousness of freedom" (March 2007)

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