The Rudolf Steiner Archive

21. Insight Needed!

[ 1 ] An idea such as the threefold structure of the social organism is often countered with the objection that it cannot come up with "practical proposals" for this or that detail. It is said, for example:

[ 2 ] There is the disintegration of the value. What does the supporter of threefolding have to say as a means of improving it? He must reply: The course of world economic conditions in recent times has been such that the competitive struggle of states has led to the devaluation of money in the individual. An improvement can only occur if individual measures for this or that are not regarded as a remedy, but if this course of economic life in its entirety is transformed into something else through the threefold structure. Individual measures can indeed temporarily improve some things in detail; but if the essence of economic activity remains the same, then a single improvement can help nothing; it must even result in a deterioration in another area.

[ 3 ] The really practical means of rebuilding what has been destroyed is precisely the threefold structure itself. If, for example, in an area where economic life is suffering from the devaluation of the currency, one wanted to create comprehensive institutions in the sense of the threefold structure, the course of events would have to improve the evil. The marked objection comes from the fact that he who makes it shrinks for some reason from practical work in the sense of threefolding and demands that the bearers of this idea of threefolding should give him means for a recovery of these or those conditions, without shaping these conditions themselves in the sense of their idea.

[ 4 ] In this point there is an essential contradiction between the bearer of the threefold idea and all those who believe that the old unified social life can be maintained and a new structure can be achieved within it. The idea of the threefold structure rests precisely on the insight that this unitary state orientation has brought about the catastrophic world situation; and that one must therefore decide to rebuild it from those conditions that result from the threefold structure.

[ 5 ] Unless this courage to take radical action is awakened in a sufficiently large number of people, the sick social life cannot be healed. The only thing that is possible without this radical approach can only be the seizure of economic and political power by the victorious states and the oppression of the defeated. The victors can for the time being retain the old system, for the losses they suffer from it can be compensated for by the advantages they derive from the domination of the vanquished. The defeated, however, are currently in a situation that necessitates immediate action in the sense of what is meant here. For the victors, too, insight would naturally be the better thing. For the state they bring about in themselves must in the course of time lead to the perception of the unbearable situation in the defeated and thus to new catastrophes. The defeated, however, cannot wait, for every omission increases the impossibility of their living conditions.

[ 6 ] The threefold idea, however, is one that runs counter to the habits of thought and feeling of all those who have formed their mental constitution in adaptation to the orientation of the unitary state. To say unreservedly that the evils that are coming to light are the result of this orientation is currently for many people as if they were being asked to stand without ground beneath their feet. The ground they want to stand on is the unitary state. They would like to accept it and use it as a basis to set up institutions that they hope will improve conditions. But what is important is to gain new ground. They lack the courage to do so.

[ 7 ] The basic requirement for the effectiveness of the threefold idea must therefore be to ensure that as many people as possible become aware of how only something radical can help at present. Far too many people have so far formed their ability to judge public circumstances only from the narrowest circles of life. It is precisely those who are involved in the large-scale operations of our economic life who are in this position. They ascribe to themselves the ability to judge comprehensive circumstances; and they only know what has emerged from their narrow circle of life.

[ 8 ] Enlightenment about the interrelationships of public life, which is so scarce today, must be promoted. The idea of threefolding will meet with less resistance the more people will know how the forces of public life have been effective up to now and how they had to lead to the present catastrophe. Everything that can lead to the spread of an insight in this direction prepares the ground for the practical effectiveness of the threefold idea.

[ 9 ] There should therefore be little expectation of disputes with members of this or that party who, as long as they want to remain in the party, usually want to reinterpret every thought of a bearer of the threefold impulse in their own sense. As soon as one has recognized the fruitfulness of this impulse, one should ensure that it is understood in the widest possible circles. For it is not with those who do not want threefolding that anything can be done, but only with those who are imbued with it. With them alone it is only possible to talk about details of public life. It should be clear that we cannot talk to Erzberger about the healing of public life as long as Erzberger is Erzberger.

[ 10 ] I am writing this down because I can see that not everyone who believes in the threefold idea is sailing in the right direction. The idea of the threefold structure is one that must be served completely if it is to be served at all. It makes it possible to deal with everyone; but the discussion must not give up anything of the pervasiveness of the idea. One will act in this sense if one realizes what the real reasons for the decline are. From this insight must come the courage to take decisive action. After all, the prevailing helplessness is only the result of a lack of insight.