Anthroposophy and Ecofascism 46

Continuing my commentary on the 13th paragraph of Peter Staudenmaier's Anthroposophy and Ecofascism.

We have already heard Steiner's comments on how little he “built” on any of Theosophy's “postulates.” (“No one was left in uncertainty of the fact that I would bring forward in the Theosophical Society only the results of my own research through perception.” (Rudolf Steiner, The Course of My Life, New York 1951, page 297 ). The claim that Steiner and his disciples tied racial classifications to spiritual advancement is really a two-part claim. I have not studied the works of every last person who claims Steiner as an inspiration, so I cannot say with certainty that no disciple has ever done this. However, I am familiar with Steiner's work, so I will object to that part.

Steiner's “systematic racial classification” is hardly elaborate. Steiner considers there to be 5 races. Or rather, there were five races. Today racial characteristics are, in Steiner's view, unimportant and gradually disappearing. This he considers a natural development in the course of human evolution. Steiner explained that there can be no talk of racial purity; everyone is mixed to one degree or another, and this is natural. This is contained in the book Peter Staudenmaier has cited in the first paragraph: "The Mission of the Individual Folk Souls in relation to Teutonic Mythology" so he ought to be familiar with it. How it came about that there are five races, and what their purpose might have been 20,000 years ago may be elaborate, but to Steiner, racial characteristics in the individual today are unimportant.

Once again we have here a paragraph that is factually inaccurate, partisan and without specific citations. Where, if anywhere, Steiner directly tied spiritual advancement to racial classification cannot be determined from the footnote.