The history of secret societies, unions and orders

The history of secret societies dates back to ancient times. In any epoch in the world, many secret orders, mafia groups, religious sects, which hid their existence from the society and tried to exert influence on it, operated. The theme of secret societies is shrouded in a veil of secrets and with many false conspiracy theories.

General Information: Financing

The history of secret societies around the world is quite different. They had different influence, structure, goals, financing. However, there are some common features.

A secret society is a group of people united by a common goal, having common views. They are hidden from the world and try not to betray their existence. For the life of the group, funding is needed. Ancient history and secret societies are closely connected, because secret associations like the Templars had a serious impact on the political life of Europe. Medieval knightly orders received money from the church, gave loans, received funds by robbing the "infidels" during the Crusades. Left-wing underground organizations were funded by their members: everyone had to make a contribution to the common cause. Islamist gangs often receive money from the treasury of the powers of the East, who are trying to use them for their own purposes.

History of secret societies: yakuza

Yakuza is the common name of the Japanese mafia. On their example it is possible to understand the essence of secret criminal organizations as well as possible. The first yakuza appeared in the eighteenth century. The impoverished samurai sought a better life in the underworld. They organized gambling houses, brothels, and blackmail. At the same time, the top gangs wove into the establishment of feudal Japan over time. They bribed officials and police, for which they turned a blind eye to their activities. Often, the authorities themselves resorted to the services of bandits.
With their help, competitors were eliminated, peasant riots were suppressed.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the yakuza almost completely controlled the entire black market in Japan. They engaged in smuggling, drug trafficking, looting, gambling, pimping and other unpleasant things. In the thirties, after the economic crisis began, they became friends with the authorities. With the outbreak of World War II, many members of the yakuza were summoned to the imperial army. After the surrender of Japan, the mafia world changed forever.

In the fifties, members of the "new" yakuza worked closely with the US military. In port cities, which Americans used as rear bases, entire entertainment quarters were created. There were restaurants, drug dens, brothels.

Structure

The history of secret societies has many references to certain symbols that the conspirators used to identify each other. The Japanese yakuza have tattoos on the body. They can cover only those places that are not visible under the clothes - to the hands and to the ankles on the legs. The hierarchy of tattoos and their semantic significance is a separate science. Often, in common photos, you can see naked gangsters demonstrating their tattoos. The larger the tattoo - the higher the status of their bearer. Nuzzles were used by the first Japanese samurai conspirators to identify each other.

The structure of gangs is very clear and rigid. It is based on the unquestioning execution of orders and the recognition of the absolute rightness of the boss. To some extent, the yakuza hierarchy reflects patriarchal relations in Japanese society. At the head is the oyabun boss. He is the head of the gang and decides solely. Then there are two verticals - administrative and combat. In the first at the head stands the saiko coma - the "administration" of the clan. They are the advisers of the boss and his closest friends. They are subject to lawyers and accountants. The second branch is led by two people - waka-gasira and syatei-gasira. They give orders to "older brothers", and they can resort to the help of "younger brothers".

Medieval secret organizations

The history of secret societies in the form in which they exist today, originates in the Middle Ages, when there was a mass of alliances and orders. The most famous and popular in popular culture are the Freemasons. The name of this clan often appears in various conspiracy theories and generally among conspirologists. Virtually any dramatic or great event that has influenced the development of human civilization, someone connects with the Masons.

The society of free masons appeared in the Middle Ages. It was formed among people who built churches. In that era, majestic Gothic castles could be built for more than a hundred years. Therefore, the masons settled at the site of their work. Such close cohabitation over the years has led to the need to create special social institutions.

History of the orders of secret societies: Masonic lodges

Many years later these societies, or artels, gained considerable power in connection with the wealth of their members. Throughout the following centuries, the Masonic lodges began to open around the world and no longer had any connection with the construction. Rituals and instruments of the first free masons (literal translation from French) began to play a symbolic role. The complex hierarchy and structure of the Masonic lodges made it possible to preserve the secrecy of the brotherhood. Each bed controlled a certain territory. The society was made up of scientists, financiers, politicians and other people who play a significant role in public life. At different times they used their influence, changing, according to conspiracy experts, the course of historical events. However, one can not say for sure how powerful this influence was. Representatives of religious and anti-capitalist organizations regularly accuse Masons of conspiracies in order to control the political life of the world.

Secret societies in Russia

In 1810, the birth of Decembrism began on the territory of the Russian Empire. The ten-year history of secret societies, an essay about which was written by Nikolai Danilevsky, was launched in the upper circles of Russian society. Revolutionary moods were formed first of all among the nobility and the military. One of the main reasons was dissatisfaction with the reign of Emperor Alexander. In addition, many soldiers who participated in the campaign against Napoleon, assessed the way of life in Western countries. Realizing the danger of open opposition, the conspirators created a network of secret societies. The groups were divided according to the territorial sign. Southern Society, Northern and so on. After a while they got in touch with the Polish intelligentsia, which wanted to achieve independence or broad autonomy for the Kingdom of Poland.

Insurrection

Up to ten major secret organizations were active before the insurrection. Their views were very different both in methods and in requirements. But the main objectives of revolutionary nineteenth-century Russian societies can still be singled out: the abolition of the autocracy, the abolition of serfdom, the abolition of fifteen-year service in the army. After the death of Alexander I, a difficult situation arose with the choice of the heir. The Decembrists took advantage of this and raised the uprising in St. Petersburg. However, it was brutally suppressed, and the instigators were executed.

Secret societies in the East

After the journey of the famous explorer Marco Polo, the world opened the eastern history of secret societies. Assassins were spread in the mass Western culture, although Polo did not only write about them. Assassins are hired assassins who have been operating in the Middle East since the sixth century. The secret society was built on the principle of a religious sect. According to some reports, suitable young candidates were secretly protected, and then transferred to a beautiful garden. When they woke up, they saw before them a luxurious place with exotic plants, seductive virgins, delicious food and other things. They spent one day there, after which they again feasted and took them home to sleepers. After that, they were sure that they had visited paradise, and were ready to serve those who promised to get there after death. The assassins were professional killers, to whose services the rulers of the northern principalities of Iran resorted.

Secret societies of the Nazis

After the end of World War I, Germany is in utter decay. In 1918, the German history of secret societies began in Munich. The occult organizations of the Nazis made a significant contribution to Hitler's rise to power. The most famous esoteric secret society is Thule. Its members were rich and respected Germans. Their meetings were held in expensive hotels. The structure and organization of the organization rather copied the Masonic style. The members of Thule actively studied German mythology. Based on Greek myths, they believed that the ancient Arians lived in a certain northern country.

And the Nazis considered themselves descendants of these people. They were racist, but initially positioned themselves as an apolitical society. It was to them Hitler came when he created his party. With the help of money and connections, Hitler managed to popularize his party. But the occultism repelled many of the workers on which the Nazis relied. Therefore, gradually the Labor Party began to seize power. First, they completely subordinated to themselves a newspaper published for money by Thule, and after coming to the Reichstag, many prominent occult figures were imprisoned.

Overthrowing

How much the top of the Third Reich was associated with Tula is unknown. In the film "The History of Secret Societies" Bruce Burgess partially reveals this topic, however from a conspiracy point of view. For many decades, myths have been circulating that the Nazis allegedly patronized a group of researchers who were looking for ancient artifacts to elevate Hitler's power.