The Social Challenge

Rudolf Steiner, C. Bryan

• Publisher: Rudolf Steiner Press
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781855847149
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

'What underlies the entire thrust and direction of these lectures is that we are not dealing with some arbitrary programme or scheme; we are not dealing with the intentions or opinions of this or that social class. Rather, it is a matter of tapping into what prompts the deepest, most realistic impetus for the coming decades in human evolution…'

In the shadow of a war-torn Europe, philosopher and spiritual thinker Rudolf Steiner offered a radical and human-centered alternative to the political and economic upheaval of his time. In this seminal lecture series, Steiner introduces the concept of social threefolding – a visionary framework that perceives society as consisting of three interdependent realms, encompassing cultural freedom, legal equality and economic solidarity.

With clear-eyed critiques of both capitalism and socialism, Steiner proposes a path that honours individual dignity, principled cooperation and true social renewal. From fair wages and educational reform to property ethics and global cooperation, his insights remain strikingly relevant to the modern world. Rooted in anthroposophy and born out of the post-World War I crisis, these lectures are a clarion call for a humane, just and spiritually conscious society – a contemporary guide for those seeking new answers to today's challenges.

The first official publication of these lectures features Rudolf Steiner's preparatory notes for his lectures, an introduction by William Forward, extensive editorial notes and an index. Six lectures, Feb.–March 1919, Zurich, GA 328

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Publisher’s Note
• Introduction
• Lecture 1 Zurich, 3 February 1919
• Lecture 2 Zurich, 5 February 1919
• Lecture 3 Zurich, 10 February 1919
• Lecture 4 Zurich, 12 February 1919
• Lecture 5 Zurich Student Union, 25 February 1919
• Lecture 6 Public Lecture, Zurich, 8 March 1919
• Rudolf Steiner’s Notes for the Social Challenge
• Notes
• Rudolf Steiner’s Collected Works
• Significant Events in the Life of Rudolf Steiner
• Index