公社（commune）一词有许多含义，最早是指中古欧洲自治城镇的组织，其特色是市民拥有一定的权力，包括财产权、行政权等。彼此之间之间互相协助帮忙。各地区的公社情形不同，有些地区如意大利北部，其自治的力量甚强。中古时代的公社并未形成民主政治，一般是形成有钱公民主导的寡头政治。

后来至近代，此一名词也用于各种其他由人民集合而成的组织，如巴黎公社、人民公社等。但在韩国与日本，一些公营企业、或具有官方背景的组织也会使用「公社」一词作名称，例如韩国道路公社、韩国观光公社、日本邮政公社、地方道路公社等。

A commune (the French word appearing in the 12th century from Medieval Latin communia, meaning a large gathering of people sharing a common life; from Latin communis, things held in common) is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income and assets. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become important core principles for many communes. Andrew Jacobs of The New York Times wrote that, contrary to popular misconceptions, "most communes of the '90s are not free-love refuges for flower children, but well-ordered, financially solvent cooperatives where pragmatics, not psychedelics, rule the day." There are many contemporary intentional communities all over the world, a list of which can be found at the Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC).