Inner Aspect of the Social Question

THE INNER ASPECT OF THE SOCIAL QUESTION

CONTENTS

I. On valuing rightly the human element in the world, and how a deeper understanding of its relation to nature and the cosmos may be kindled in the soul; how the true strength of the spirit is to be sought for.

4 February, 1919

II. The membering of the social organism in accordance with the various ways in which human beings are related to the spiritual world. The Mystery of Golgotha as an event for all mankind. Spiritual pathways to the Christ: the way of thought and the way of will.

11 February, 1919

III. True and illusory reality in social life. The distinction between a living truth and a living lie needs to be deeply engraved in the souls of men to-day. The inner connection between spiritual-cultural life and life before birth. The former should be a reflection of super-sensible existence. The political State is just the opposite: its concern should be only with the things that belong to the life between birth and death. In economic life there is an unconscious unfolding of impulses which work on beyond death — seeds of sympathies which are destined to develop in the life after death. Spiritual-cultural life, on the other hand, should be a sort of healing agent for the remains of the antipathies which we bring over from our life before birth into the present. It is only in the diversity of relationships between these three members of the social organism that true reality resides.

9 March, 1919

THE SOCIAL QUESTION: Note on Further Lectures

Besides the lectures in the present volume, four public lectures were given by Rudolf Steiner in Zürich during the same period:

1. The true shape of the social question, drawn from the essential needs of present-day mankind (on the basis of spiritual-scientific research).

3 February, 1919

2. Endeavours to find a solution of social questions in accordance with reality and the demands of life (on the basis of a spiritual-scientific conception of life).

5 February, 1919

3. Spiritual emotionalism and a true conception of life in relation to social thinking and willing.

10 February, 1919

4. The development of social thinking and willing and the situation of humanity to-day.

12 February, 1919