Just as gravity is the substance of matter, so also can it be said that freedom is the substance of spirit'. In 'The Philosophy of History', Hegel identifies active creative reason ( Vernunft) as spirit ( Geist) and contends that the world is the intersection of spirit and matter whereby that which distinguishes spirit from matter is the notion of freedom which is a self-contained existence and the essence of spirit whereas matter on the other hand is marked by its dependence upon something external: 'The nature of spirit can best be understood if we contrast it with its direct opposite, which is matter. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, (1770 – 1831), 'Philosophy of History' This therefore constitutes strictly the beginning of World-History for the grand interest of Spirit in History, is to attain an unlimited immanence of subjectivity - by an absolute antithesis to attain complete harmony'. The principle of development begins with the history of Persia. It holds a position of antithesis to Darkness, and this antithetical relation opens out to us the principle of activity and life. Light is vitalizing only in so far as it is brought to bear on something distinct from itself, operating upon and developing that. Light makes no distinctions: the Sun shines on the righteous and the unrighteous, on high and low, and confers on all the same benefit and prosperity.

We see in the Persian World a pure exalted Unity, as the essence which leaves the special existences that inhere in it, free - as the Light, which only manifests what bodies are in themselves - a Unity which governs individuals only to excite them to become powerful for themselves - to develop and assert their individuality.

But here in Persia first arises that light which shines itself, and illuminates what is around for Zoroaster’s 'Light' belongs to the World of Consciousness - to Spirit as a relation to something distinct from itself. The Chinese and the Indian Empire assert a place in the historical series only on their own account and for us (not for neighbours and successors). While China and India remain stationary, and perpetuate a natural vegetative existence even to the present time, this land has been subject to those developments and revolutions, which alone manifest a historical condition. The Persians are the first Historical People Persia was the first Empire that passed away. 'With the Persian Empire we first enter on continuous History.

Zoroaster nietzsche