A standing conference within the Social Sciences Section of the School of Spiritual Science (see below), the Economics Conference of the Goetheanum endeavours to understand business, finance and economics on the basis of Rudolf Steiner's economics course and other writings (see Literature). Its aim is to make seminal yet concrete contributions to fundamental problems of our time in such fields as monetary policy, price theory and entrepreneurial endeavour. Its meetings, which take place in many parts of the world, and include an annual worldwide gathering, are conducted in the languages of those who take part, but the basic language is English.

The meetings provide opportunities for independent researchers to share their work and together to derive insights of use in addressing the problems of economic life in the light of spiritual science. While such insights are expected to fructify the teaching, publishing and other practical endeavours of participants, all such activity is undertaken on the responsibility of those concerned. 

Inaugurated in 1923 by Rudolf Steiner, the aim of the School of Spiritual Science is to consider human affairs in the light of spiritual science, meaning the scientific method applied to physically invisible phenomena such as, in the case of economics, values and prices.

The School is ‘housed’ in the General Anthroposophical Society, which has its world centre near Basel, Switzerland and national groups in many countries around the world.

The School is conceived in terms of three classes (akin to degrees) and 11 sections related to professional life in medicine, agriculture, social sciences, and so on. The purpose of the sections is to provide a venue in which members of the School can deliberate on, and hopefully bring fresh insights to, the many challenges faced by humanity today in all walks of life.

Members of the School are individuals who in contemporary ways have undertaken to, as it were, join Rudolf Steiner in continuing the tasks he began. Comprising research, papers, conferences and symposia, the work of the sections arises through the activities of their members, which are conducted as collegiately as possible based on their direct involvement in practical human affairs.

The Social Sciences Section encompasses a broad range of social scientific disciplines and activities. One of these is the Economics Conference of the Goetheanum. 

Meetings and events of the Economics Conference are generally open. Others are for members only. A member is anyone who in writing fulfills the following conditions:

1. Confirms his/her membership of the School of Spiritual Science; 
2. Undertakes that the costs of the Conference are not carried by the Goetheanum; 
3. Provides a short description of his/her practical connection to today’s economic questions.

The Economics Conference as such has no view and does not advocate one.

Christopher Houghton Budd, Ph.D.
(See christopherhoughtonbudd.com)