noun
village community; insular community; closed society
Refers to a traditional, hierarchical, conservative, and exclusive community, often with strong internal bonds and resistance to outsiders. Used both literally for rural villages and metaphorically for any tight-knit, exclusionary group.
日本の村社会では、よそ者がなかなか受け入れられないことがある。
In Japanese village communities, outsiders may find it hard to be accepted.
あの会社は村社会みたいで、新入社
That company is like an insular community, and it takes time for new employees to fit in.
noun
Extended meaning: a closed, collusive group within an organization or industry, often with negative connotations of exclusivity and unfair practices.
業界の村社会が談合を繰り返していた。
The industry's cartel repeatedly engaged in bid-rigging.
政界にはいくつもの村社会が存在する。
There are many cliques in the political world.
Compound of 村 (mura, 'village') and 社会 (shakai, 'society'). The term gained currency in sociological discussions of Japanese rural community structures and their metaphorical extensions.