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I'm looking for a word that describes "a group of people that give to others that

  1. Share similar beliefs
  2. Promote a related cause
  3. Serve as a good example of what the group believes in"

Consider that religious groups will support musicians that associate themselves to the same religion, or vote for a particular candidate.

I'm trying to find a word that describes (or is even related to) the shared economic support based on a communities values, or consensus.

The reason I'm looking for this word is because I found a marginalized group of people who are not organized economically, and being a non-religious non-hierarchical society, they don't have such a "system" benefiting them. Therefore this "social movement" or its potential, is at a standstill.

I'm looking for a word to explain what it is they are missing, and the socio-economic feature present in religious groups.

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  • "Humans" .Everybody does that sometimes. Most people tend to carry this practice all the way to even saying "hello" only to friends and family.
    – Conrado
    Aug 4, 2020 at 15:57

2 Answers 2

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Contribute or Contribution is a good word to describe this activity, suggesting an investment that unifies the group around a common purpose. The prefix con for together, implies the unifying principle.

VERB

[WITH OBJECT] 1. Give (something, especially money) in order to help achieve or provide something:

Etymology contribute

1520s,

from Latin contributus, past participle of contribuere "to bring together, add, unite, collect, contribute" (see contribution).

Figurative sense is from 1630s.

Related: Contributed; contributing.

contribution

late 14c.,

from Old French contribution and directly from Latin contributionem (nominative contributio), noun of action from past participle stem of contribuere "to bring together, add, contribute,"

from com- "together" (see com-) + tribuere "to allot, pay" (see tribute).

tribute

mid-14c.,

"stated sum of money or other valuable consideration paid by one ruler or country to another in acknowledgment of submission or as the price of peace or protection,"

from Anglo-French tribute, Old French tribut and directly

from Latin tributum "tribute, a stated payment, a thing contributed or paid," noun use of neuter of tributus, past participle of tribuere "to pay, assign, grant," also "allot among the tribes or to a tribe,"

from tribus (see tribe). Sense of "offering, gift, token" is first recorded 1580s.

tribe

mid-13c.,

"one of the twelve divisions of the ancient Hebrews," from Old French tribu

or directly from Latin tribus "one of the three political/ethnic divisions of the original Roman state" (Tites, Ramnes, and Luceres, corresponding, perhaps, to the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans), later, one of the 30 political divisions instituted by Servius Tullius (increased to 35 in 241 B.C.E.), of unknown origin.

Perhaps from tri- "three" + *bheue-, root of the verb be.

Others connect the word with the PIE root *treb- "a dwelling" (see tavern).

It is not necessary for the unifying principle of a group to be religious.

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  • In our church we call it a Fast Offering. It is administered by the Bishop to members in need. However, My understanding is that surplus Fast Offerings are distributed to non-members as well, such as victims of natural disasters. Jan 8, 2015 at 4:56
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To describe the group:

Affiliation and Fraternity imply a close familiar connection

Affiliate

VERB

[WITH OBJECT] (usually be affiliated with) 1. Officially attach or connect (a subsidiary group or a person) to an organization:

1.1 [NO OBJECT] Officially join or become attached to an organization:

NOUN

A person or organization officially attached to a larger body:

Origin

mid 18th century: from medieval Latin affiliat- 'adopted as a son',

from the verb affiliare, from ad- 'toward' + filius 'son'.

Fraternity

NOUN (plural fraternities)

1 [TREATED AS SINGULAR OR PLURAL] A group of people sharing a common profession or interests:

Origin

Middle English: from Old French fraternite,

from Latin fraternitas,

from fraternus (see fraternal).

fraternal:

late Middle English:

from medieval Latin fraternalis,

from Latin fraternus,

from frater 'brother'.


Coalition or Partnership imply a slightly looser connection

Coalition

NOUN

An alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states:

[AS MODIFIER]: a coalition government

Origin

early 17th century (in the sense 'fusion'):

from medieval Latin coalitio(n-),

from the verb coalescere (see coalesce).

Usage in politics dates from the late 18th century.

Coalesce

VERB

[NO OBJECT]

  1. Come together and form one mass or whole:

1.1 [WITH OBJECT]

Combine (elements) in a mass or whole:

Origin

mid 16th century (in the sense 'bring together, unite'):

from Latin coalescere,

from co- (from cum 'with') + alescere 'grow up' (from alere 'nourish').


Alliance or Confederation imply an agreement among groups that maintain unique identity.

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