The Rudolf Steiner Archive

In the social ferment of postwar Europe in 1919, Steiner presented his ideas about reforming the basis of society in three fundamental, autonomous spheres: economic, political/rights, and cultural. For a short time he worked to bring his ideas into practical application but it soon became impossible to bring about a “threefold social order” and he withdrew from the outer work in this area. His ideas have been worked with over the decades since that time and have proved to be just as valid today as they were then. This volume is a presentation of Steiner's central ideas on the threefold nature of the social organism.

Five Versions of this work have appeared in English translation, each with its own title. All are complete except the one entitled, The Threefold Social Order which is abbreviated. Other titles include, The Triorganic Social Organism, or The Threefold State, or The Threefold Commonwealth, or Towards Social Renewal. The German language title is, Die Kernpunkte der Sozialen Frage in den Lebensnotwendigkeiten der Gegenwart und Zukunft.

• Translator's Preface
• Foreword as to the Purpose of this Book
• Preface to the New Edition of 1920

1. Nature of the Social Question In the Life of Modern Man
2. Meeting Social Needs
3. Capitalism and Creative Social Ideas
   (Capital and Human Labor)
4. International Aspects