Career Albert Schäffle

gravesite of albert schäffle @ pragfriedhof in stuttgart

schäffle s magnum opus, treatise called bau und leben des sozialen körpers (construction , life of social body) published in 4 volumes 1875 1878. work grandiose attempt create unified system combining natural , social sciences. schäffle attempted show unity between human social behavior , biological processes observed natural science, while retaining spiritual aspect in tradition of german idealist philosophy.

in second edition of work, published in 2 volumes in 1896, schäffle emphasized state-interventionist implications of work, describing economy of rational social state in fine detail.

in quintessence of socialism (1875) , impossibility of social democracy (1885) schäffle developed critique of socialism focused on problem of incentives in large-scale collectives. conclusion classical socialism , democracy incompatible. schäffle foreshadowed of criticisms of socialism ludwig von mises , freidrich hayek.

from 1892 1901 schäffle sole editor of zeitschrift für die gesamte staatswissenschaft.