What is a Tonnies Community?

Ferdinand Tonnies (1855-1936) was a German sociologist who is best known for his study of social groups. He developed the concepts he he published in 1887 as "Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft" (translated as "community and society") which illustrates the interaction between close-knit "communities" and an emerging global market "society". The term 'Tonnies Community' is a shorthand reference to these elements of society.