Second newsletter of the Swiss Threefolding Movement published in October

The Threefold Social Movement for Renewal in Switzerland organised a conference for November 2022 where a group of initiatives and organisations committed to the threefolding of the social organism was announced. At the time, the high number of participants at the conference was encouraging. The general interest in this topic also seems to be growing beyond the boundaries of anthroposophical fields of work. There are already an astonishing number of seeds of a new diversity in the established sectors that are leading towards a new social order.

The current newsletter starts from this point and sharpens our view of contemporary society with the intention of thinking far beyond the 'social versus liberal' scheme. New legal forms and steward-ownership are the topics of the current issue. Surprisingly, there is agreement between liberal and social circles about this subject.

The reader finds an introduction to the steward-ownership (Verantwortungseigentum), which has already been implemented in successful companies. The main problem with private ownership of a company is its connection to a bloodline rather than a spiritual stream and the relationships that this creates. 'steward-ownership ', says Katharina Hupfer, Managing Director of Waschbär, in an interview with Fionn Meier, Managing Director of Dreigliederung Schweiz, 'doesn't know parties'.
The response to threefolding in the scientific community is also encouraging, as in the interview with Professor Michael Esfeld, Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Lausanne. His new book, Land ohne Mut (2023, Achgut Verlag, 'A Land without Courage), deals, among other things, with the question of how we can build social life on the basis of voluntary co-operation. Esfeld even refers to Rudolf Steiner's idea of the threefolding.

Dr Stefan Obrist, GP at the Ita Wegman Outpatient Clinic in Basel, explores the underlying causes of the crises in our healthcare system: On the one hand, costs are rising year on year, while on the other, staff are becoming increasingly scarce. Obrist refers to historical and social causes, presents suggestions for improvement and concrete attempts and invites readers to engage with other views, suggestions or critical objections.

We owe a great wealth of useful information to this newsletter, which gives us a picture of the efforts being made at many levels for a more humane orientation of our society. To quote Fritz Lang, "head and hands need a mediator. The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!".

Giovanni Tobia De Benedetti

Link to the newsletter (in german)