Are communities just small societies?

We often think of communities as the locale where we live; but obviously they can be virtual, historical, interest or other sorts of groups too.

So do lots of ‘communities’ put together comprise a full ‘society’?

What is a 'community'?

What is a community? 

Do we mean the same thing when we talk about our own communities, as when we refer to other people’s?

And does the term have a different meaning when politicians and other civic and faith leaders use it, than when ‘ordinary people’ do?