Social threefolding
The idea is that when economy, culture, and polity are relatively independent of one another, they check, balance, and correct one another and thus lead to greater social health and progress.
"[6] Steiner described how the three spheres had been growing independent over thousands of years, evolving from ancient theocracies which governed all aspects of society; then, gradually separating out the purely political and legal life (beginning in Ancient Greece and Rome); then again, the purely economic life (beginning with the Industrial Revolution).
"[9] The goal is for this independence to arise in such a way these three realms mutually balance each other, providing healthy cultural equilibrium.
Some intentionally cooperative businesses and organizations, mostly in Europe, have attempted to realize a balance between the three spheres, given existing local structures.
Prior to the end of World War I, Steiner spoke increasingly often of the dangerous tensions inherent in the contemporary societal structures and political entanglements.
The impulse continued to be active in other ways, however, in particular through economic initiatives intended to provide support for non-governmental cultural organizations.
"[15] The fascist ministers Giovanni Antonio Colonna di Cesarò (nicknamed "the Anthroposophist duke"; he became antifascist after taking part in Benito Mussolini's government[16]) and Ettore Martinoli have openly expressed their sympathy for Rudolf Steiner.
In a similar spirit, Steiner held that all families, not just those with the economic means, should have freedom of choice in education and access to independent, non-government schools for their children.
Slavery is unjust, because it takes something political, a person's inalienable rights, and absorbs them into the economic process of buying and selling.
[26] By contrast, Steiner held that uncoerced, freely self-organizing[27] forms of cooperative economic life, in a society where there is freedom of speech, of culture, and of religion,[28] will 1) make State intervention in the economy less necessary or called for,[29] and 2) will tend to permit economic interests of a broader, more public-spirited sort to play a greater role in relations extending from the economy to the State.
[30] Steiner emphasized that none of these proposals would be successful unless the cultural sphere of society maintained and increased its own freedom and autonomy vis-a-vis economic and State power.
A central idea in social threefolding is that the economic sphere should donate funds to support cultural and educational institutions that are independent of the State.
In this view, taxes sometimes serve as an unhealthy form of forced donation which artificially redirect businesses' profits.
[32] Steiner believed in educational freedom and choice, and one of his ideals was that the economic sector might eventually create scholarship funds that would permit all families to choose freely from (and set up) a wide variety of independent, non-government schools for their children.
Steiner was a supporter of educational freedom, but was flexible, and understood that a few legal restrictions on schools (such as health and safety laws), provided they were kept to an absolute minimum, would be necessary and justified.
[33] A number of reform movements whose leaders and members may never have heard of social threefolding or Rudolf Steiner still unintentionally advance one or another of its three aspects, for example movements seeking to 1) reduce the influence of money in politics by increasing governmental transparency, 2) develop cooperative and socially responsible forms of capitalism and 3) make it possible for all families, including poor ones, to have educational freedom and the right to choose among independent, non-government schools for their children .
