§540。
Theguaranteeofaconstitution（i。e。thenecessitythatthelawsbereasonable，andtheiractualizationsecured）liesinthecollectivespiritofthenation—especiallyinthespecificwayinwhichitisitselfconsciousofitsreason。（Religionisthatconsciousnessinitsabsolutesubstantiality。）Buttheguaranteeliesalso，atthesametimeintheactualorganisationordevelopmentofthatprincipleinsuitableinstitutions。Theconstitutionpresupposesthatconsciousnessofthecollectivespirit，andconverselythatspiritpresupposestheconstitution：fortheactualspiritonlyhasadefiniteconsciousnessofitsprinciples，insofarasithasthemactuallyexistentbeforeit。
Thequestion—Towhom（towhatauthorityandhoworganised）belongsthepowertomakeaconstitution？isthesameasthequestion，Whohastomakethespiritofanation？Separateourideaofaconstitutionfromthatofthecollectivespirit，asifthelatterexistsorhasexistedwithoutaconstitution，andyourfancyonlyproveshowsuperficiallyyouhaveapprehendedthenexusbetweenthespiritinitsself—consciousnessandinitsactuality。Whatisthuscalled’making’a’constitution’，is—justbecauseofthisinseparability—athingthathasneverhappenedinhistory，justaslittleasthemakingofacodeoflaws。Aconstitutiononlydevelopsfromthenationalspiritidenticallywiththatspirit’sowndevelopment，andrunsthroughatthesametimewithitthegradesofformationandthealterationsrequiredbyitsconcept。Itistheindwellingspiritandthehistoryofthenation（and，beitadded，thehistoryisonlythatspirit’shistory）bywhichconstitutionshavebeenandaremade。
§541。
Thereallylivingtotality—thatwhichpreserves，inotherwordscontinuallyproducesthestateingeneralanditsconstitution，isthegovernment。Theorganisationwhichnaturalnecessitygivesisseenintheriseofthefamilyandofthe’estates’ofcivilsociety。Thegovernmentistheuniversalpartoftheconstitution，i。e。thepartwhichintentionallyaimsatpreservingthoseparts，butatthesametimegetsholdofandcarriesoutthosegeneralaimsofthewholewhichriseabovethefunction，ofthefamilyandofcivilsociety。Theorganisationofthegovernmentislikewiseitsdifferentiationintopowers，astheirpeculiaritieshaveabasisinprinciple;yetwithoutthatdifferencelosingtouchwiththeactualunitytheyhaveinthenotion’ssubjectivity。