communalism

American  

[kuh-myoon-l-iz-uhm, kom-yuh-nl-] / kəˈmyun lˌɪz əm, ˈkɒm yə nl- /

noun

1. a theory or system of government according to which each commune is virtually an independent state and the nation is merely a federation of such states.

2. the principles or practices of communal ownership.

3. strong allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole.

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communalism British  

/ ˈkɒmjʊnəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a system or theory of government in which the state is seen as a loose federation of self-governing communities

2. an electoral system in which ethnic groups vote separately for their own representatives

3. loyalty to the interests of one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole

4. the practice or advocacy of communal living or ownership

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Other Word Forms

• communalist noun
• communalistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of communalism

First recorded in 1870–75; communal + -ism