A secret society is an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed, often utilizing secret initiations or other rituals and whose members often take secret initiation oaths, share secret passwords and rites, and are bound to assist each other
. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla warfare insurgencies, that hide their activities and memberships but maintain a public presence
. Secret societies can be found in various forms, such as college fraternities and sororities, international Freemasonry, and historical organizations like the Ku Klux Klan
. Some common characteristics of secret societies include:
- Concealed existence : The group's existence is often not kept secret, but some beliefs or practices are concealed from the public and require an oath of secrecy
- Superior status or knowledge : The group promises superior status or knowledge to members
- Restrictive membership : The group's membership is in some way restrictive, such as by race, sex, religious affiliation, or invitation only
- Secret rituals or symbols : Elements of secrecy may vary from a mere password to elaborate rituals, private languages, costumes, and symbols
Secret societies have been historically interlinked with the concept of the Männerbund, the all-male "warrior-band" or "warrior-society" of pre-modern times
. While some secret societies are devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance, others may have more sinister intentions, such as the Mafia and the Molly Maguires
