- philosophical frameworks for organizing human relationships ([[society]]) that address fundamental questions like:
- what creates human fulfillment
- what is fundamental to human nature
- how to prevent the abuse of power
- how to resource allocation and decision-making
- how the individual relates to the larger group
- how should individuals within society coordination efforts
| aspect | [[individualism]] | [[communalism]] | [[hierarchical]] | [[egalitarian]] |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| core unit | individual | community | structured order | society of equals |
| key principles | personal liberty, self-reliance, merit-based achievement | local autonomy, mutual aid, ecological sustainability | clear hierarchy, tradition, formal roles | equal rights, fair opportunity, universal access |
| resource management | market-based allocation | shared community management | rank-based distribution | fair distribution balancing private/public interests |
| decision making | individual choice | direct participatory democracy | authority-based | democratic representation |
| source of fulfillment | personal achievement | community bonds | role fulfillment | fair participation |
| social progress driver | competition | cooperation | order and stability | social justice and equality |
| property rights | strong individual rights | limited to personal use items | status-based privileges | mixed ownership models |