Communalism

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This article deals with the use of the word communalism in the sense of a force uniting people into a community, as it is used in many parts of the world. See the article Communalism (South Asia) for the use of the word to denote a force separating different communities based on some form of social or sectarian discrimination, as it is used in South Asia.

In many parts of the world, communalism is a modern term that describes a broad range of social movements and social theories which are in some way centered upon the community. Communalism can take the form of communal living or communal property, among others.

Communalism is sometimes said to put the interests of the community above the interests of the individual, but this is usually only done on the principle that the community exists for the benefit of the individuals who participate in it, so the best way to serve the interests of the individual is through the interests of the community.

Communalism is often associated with various branches of socialism, especially communism (and, in particular, religious communism or primitive communism). The term "communalism" is often used instead of "communism" as a way to denote those communal societies that are not based on Marxism.