Dreigliederung

Commonly used by Rudolf Steiner to characterize the human organism or also the social organism. Refers to a functional rather than a spatial division (often contrasted with Dreiteilung / dreiteilig [tripartition / tripartite]). 'Threefoldness/threefold' is usually more felicitous than 'triformation / triform(ed)'. 'Trinity/Trinitarian' is best reserved for religious contexts (Dreieinigkeit/Dreifaltigkeit). 'Triune' has an archaic flavor and a religious connotation, but may be useful in certain contexts. Further possibilities: 'threefold articulation, membering, nature'.

In a social context Rudolf Steiner also uses Dreigliederung to refer to a process or direction of development; he emphatically denies it is anything utopian (GA 23: prefaces). Therefore, the commonly used phrase 'the threefold social order', which suggests a static program that may be adopted or imposed is seriously misleading. This insidious distortion can be avoided by using the term '(social) threefolding' or by paraphrasing.

Malcolm Gardner 5/1