Abstract

The author presents and discusses the recent French translation of the "Elements of the Philosophy of Right" edited by Jean-François Kervégan, in which the text of the "Elements" is confronted with that of the "Lectures in the Philosophy of Right" held by Hegel in Heidelberg and Berlin. Moving from the French debate initiated by this recent publication, the author underlines the fact that among Hegel scholars a new autonomous reading of the Lectures is progressively gaining validity. The "Lectures" introduce new aspects in Hegel's thought as to the theory of sovereignty exposed in the "Elements of the Philosophy of Right".