By Rudolf Steiner

Translated by Charles Davy
Bn 193.1, GA 193

Rudolf Steiner suggested new ways to organize society and engage with social questions. This book presents his esoteric perspective on such concerns. Steiner asserts that we must begin by giving real value to the human element in the world, finding a deeper understanding of our relationship to nature and to the cosmos. Accordingly, it is ineffective to organize society in an arbitrary way; society ought to reflect the human relationship to the spiritual world. Steiner goes on to discuss the threefold archetype of social life — the political state, the economy, and the spiritual and cultural aspects — and how these three areas can interact in a healthy way, leading to an evolving society that is vibrant.

These lectures were translated from shorthand reports un-revised by the lecturer. This lecture series is entitled, Inner Aspects of Social Riddles. The original text is contained in the volume of the Complete Edition of the works of Rudolf Steiner entitled, Der Innere Aspekt des socialen Rätsels. Luziferische Vergangenheit und ahrimanische Zukunft, (Bibl, Nr. 193). This English edition of three of the lectures is published with the permission of the Rudolf Steiner-Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. From Bn 193.1, GA 193.