Hegel's African vs. Darwin's Homo Sapien

The African Character:
Hegel

-it is hard to judge the Africans because in reference to "white" ideals they are totally different

-must lay aside all reverence and morality, in a sense all human feeling, to comprehend the African

RELIGION:
-requires the conception of a "Higher Power," which makes man feeler humbler and weaker
-Hegel argues that blacks, in their "magic and sorcery," attempt to control Nature and disregard the notion of a Higher Power

IMMORALITY:
-Negroes act in contempt of humanity
-"Tyranny is not regarded as wrong" and "cannibalism is quite customary and proper"

SLAVERY:
-Hegel says slavery with Europeans or Americans is not nearly as bad as life in Africa
-men are a Thing...parents sell children...children sell parents...whoever has the first opportunity
-polygamy is common among negroes, leading to no family unit (and any remaining family is sold into slavery)

POLITICAL CONSTITUTION:
-there exist no universal "spiritual laws" (guiding morals)
-Hegel says a despotic ruler must lead since it is the only way to control a rampid "sensuous barbarism"
-Roles in negro government:
KING- leads with despotic power
CHIEFTAINS- counsel that guides King. King must gain the chieftains respect and consent
EXECUTIONER- kills whomever the King wishes, until the Negroes depose the King and have him executed

DISPOSITION:
-Hegel says Negro easily go into frenzied states
- "Destruction is the consequence of their excitement"
-after the King's death riots and mass groups of Negroes ritualistically kill each other, "authorities hurry to proclaim a new governor, simply to put a stop to the massacre."
- they have no regard for human life


In conclusion Hegel says the only link between Europeans and Africans is slavery, since all other aspects of "humanity" are lost on the Negroes. He states the slavery benefits the savages because it humanizes them. Hegel offers the idea to leave Africa and never return again. He says that historically and developmentally the area is insignificant and useless.


On the Races of Man
Darwin

-says that there exist two different anthropological standpoints, all human races are one species (monogenist) or human races are different species (polygenist)
-Darwin explores the vagueness of the term "species" and how it couldn't be differentiable since there was not just a single interpretation of the word.
-says that bodies and minds of certain races are different, but have remarkably similar "little traits of character"

SIMILARITY EXISTS:
-men of all races, tastes, dispositions, and habits share certain aspects
-all have ways of painting, tattooing, piercing, or decorating themselves
-all have a common set of inarticulate sounds and accompanying facial movements to express certain emotions
-strikingly dissimilar to monkeys who have very different sounds and expressions compared to another species of monkey
-human races all over the world independently bury their dead. perhaps shows a common thought process of symbolic thinking?

DIFFERENCES:
-differences in skin color and odor exist, but are due to acquired traits from geographic separation
-the common ancestor changed a little in each geographic region, but only on some minor levels including body stature and certain traits that proved more successful in their environments


Language plays an important role. The universal ability to use language is a key that shows the connection of species since it would not have emerged, or evolved, on multiple occasions.