The Threefold Commonwealth

Social threefolding is a social theory which originated in the early 20th century from the work of Rudolf Steiner. Of central importance is a distinction made between three spheres of society - the political, economic, and cultural. The conviction here 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. This should not be confused with laissez-faire economics, however. Steiner was concerned rather that businesses should not be able to buy favorable laws and regulations, and that governments should regulate the economy and protections for workers impartially and not be corrupted by participating in business. "A sphere of life calls forth interests arising only within that sphere. Out of the economic sphere one can develop only economic interests. If one is called out of this sphere to produce legal judgements as well, then these will merely be economic interests in disguise." Social threefolding aims to foster: equality and democracy in political life, freedom in cultural life (art, science, religion, education, the media), and uncoerced cooperation in a freely contractual economic life. (wikipedia.org)