Secret society
A Secret Society is a club or organization whose members do not disclose their membership, and may be sworn to hold it secret. The term is sometimes also used to describe fraternal organizations which may have secret ceremonies.
Secret societies are often the subject of much suspicion and speculation from non-members, and often feature in conspiracy theories.
Secret societies are illegal in several countries. In the European Union, Poland has made the ban a part of its constitution. Article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland states:
Political parties and other organizations whose programmes are based upon totalitarian methods and the modes of activity of nazism, fascism and communism, as well as those whose programmes or activities sanction racial or national hatred, the application of violence for the purpose of obtaining power or to influence the State policy, or provide for the secrecy of their own structure or membership, shall be prohibited.
Some--though certainly not all--secret societies may strive for secrecy for reasons of illegal activity.
Secret societies:
- Angelic Society
- Adelfi
- Bella Constantina
- Bilderberg Group
- Bishop James Madison Society
- Brotherhood of the Snake
- Brotherhood of the Golden Dagger (Rutgers University)
- Cambridge Apostles
- Camorra
- Carbonari
- Dragon Rouge
- Edennisti
- Eight Letters
- European Patriots
- F.H.C. Society
- Fenian Brotherhood
- Filadelfi
- Four Colours (secret society)
- Germanenorden
- Hellenists
- Illuminati
- Iron Arrow Honor Society
- Know-Nothings
- League of Outlaws
- League of the Just
- League of the Holy Court
- Mafia
- Mau Mau
- Michigamua
- Narodnik
- Order of the Solar Temple
- Order of the Bull's Blood (Rutgers University)
- Ordo Templi Orientis
- Owl Society (University of Pennsylvania)
- Perfect Masons
- Rosicrucians
- Round table groups
- Scroll and Key (Yale University)
- Sect of Five
- Seven Letters
- Shirtless Ones
- Skull and Bones (Yale University)
- Sociedad secreta Abakuá
- Sublime Perfect Masters
- Sword and Serpent (Rutgers University)
- Society of Harmonious Fists
- Society of the Seasons
- Society of the Venerable Souls in Purgatory
- Supreme Masters
- St. John the Baptist (secret society)
- Tabard (University of Pennsylvania)
- Theos (University of Pennsylvania)
- The School of Night
- The Woolcombers' Union
- Sicari
- The Central Tomb
- The Men of Decision
- The Men of the Dagger
- The Onion (secret society)
- Three Colours (secret society)
- Tong (secret society)
- Tonton Macoute
- Triad
- Tugendbund
- Unnamed Ones
- Vihan Veljet
- Walhalla-orden
- White Pilgrims
- Yakuza
Many secret societies have been established on university campuses, including, most notably, Skull and Bones (1832) at Yale University, Cap and Skull (1900) at Rutgers University and the Bishop James Madison Society (1812) at The College of William & Mary. The first collegiate secret society was the FHC Club (1750), followed by Phi Beta Kappa (1776), both founded at William & Mary. William & Mary's early exposure to secret societies allowed these types of organizations to flourish there. It now serves as host to at least five, including the 7 Society, the 13 Club, the Alpha Club, the FHC, and the Bishop James Madison Society.
Formerly secret or semi-secret societies:
- AMORC: Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
- Bilderberg Group
- Confraternity of the Rose Cross
- Freemasonry (membership hasn't been strictly secret since the late 20th century)
- FUDOFSI
- FUDOSI
- Ku Klux Klan
- Order Militia Crucifera Evangelica
- Phi Beta Kappa (began as a secret society, but eliminated secrecy in 1831)
- Technocracy
Alleged secret societies:
Fictional secret societies:
- Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword in Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
- Cabal, in the works of Robert A. Heinlein
- The Committee to Unelect the Patrician in Discworld (parodies the Committee to Re-elect the President)
- Darkfriends, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
- The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night in Discworld
- Harpers, in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons game setting
- The Millennium Group, a law enforcement consulting firm and centuries old quasi-cult based upon Judeo-Christian "End Time" prophecies in the Millennium television series.
- S.P.E.C.T.R.E., in the works of Ian Fleming
- Order of the Phoenix, in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
- The Stonecutters, from The Simpsons
- Second Foundation, in The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
External Links:
See also: Society