Page 20, paragraph 2
"It follows from this that within a nation itself the individuals, even apart from their pecuniary circumstances, have quite different developments, and that an earlier interest, the peculiar form of intercourse of which has already been ousted by that belonging to a later interest, remains for a long time afterwards in possession of a traditional power in the illusory community (State, law), which has one an existence independent of the individuals; a power which in the last resort can only be broken by a revolution. This explains why, with reference to individual points which allow of a more general summing up, consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical relationships, so that in the struggles of a later epoch one can refer to earlier theoreticians as authorities."
I think this quote is saying that individuals can remember the past even after their past has been replaced. I think it is saying that the only way to overcome the new law is by a revolution, but in the following sentence is it saying that conciousness of the past can help people refer to theoriticians from the past for help?
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I think Alicia has a good insight as to what the passage means. Fromthe passage I also get the understanding that individuals, although they may be in a certain "time" they still refer to their past in order to define their present and future. At the end of the passage see where theoreticians are said to be authority meaning that the revolutionary ideas of a single person can really be what influences a group of people although it may not be the ideas of of the king or Prime Minister
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