What is scholarium?

A learning enterprise continuing the original Austrian and the later Swiss tradition of the Austrian School. It offers an interdisciplinary online study program in German to continue the scientific side of these traditions, and engages in worldwide ventures to continue the practical and entrepreneurial side. These ventures, in turn, nourish new educational programs and sites.

What is the Austrian School?

This tradition emerged in the late 19th century Austro/Hungarian empire (connecting cities like Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Lviv, Cracow, Triest …) as a late Austrian enlightenment, resembling the earlier Scottish enlightenment, in reaction to a rapidly modernizing society in crisis. It combined staunch realism and respect for the individual, uncertainty and enterprise, with an interdisciplinary approach. When old Austria fell to the follies and false religions of modernity, this tradition was continued in Switzerland and the United States. In Switzerland, a focus on finance and diplomacy kept the tradition out of the public eye, while in the US a focus on politics allowed the survival of a bare thread of public recognition. In scholarium, we focus on the Austrian and Swiss traditions because only those are practically useful to the individual, but we are deeply grateful to the American Austrians for their invaluable efforts in keeping the memory of a distinct Austrian School alive.

What does scholarium mean?

It is one of the Latin roots of the university (universitas magistrorum & scholarium) and means community of those eager to learn. While the university has quickly been taken over by the magistri, the hierarchy of clerks dealing in certificates and privileges, the real learning has mostly happened in (ad)ventures and private salons. The & (et) is an old ligature connecting the traditions of scholarship and commerce, in German it is called the merchants‘ And.

Why haven‘t I heard about scholarium and Rahim Taghizadegan before?

In contrast to the American Austrian School, the orginal tradition tried to remain „wertfrei“ (value neutral): understanding reality as it is, not as it should be. In an age of uncertainty, people long for judgments, guidance, easy answers and quick fixes, therefore the original Austrian School does not resonate much. Good theory and practice always happen in private, not in the public of social media and „incluencers“.

With his first language being German, Rahim Taghizadegan has mainly been known in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany, but has a little international renown as the last Austrian economist in the direct tradition and the first one to teach about Bitcoin at university.