Look to medieval society. Everyone was in some form of guild. Guilds determined how you dressed, who you socialized with, held ceremonies and parties. It wasn't just a trade union, it was a whole way of life.
He talks at length how he was struck by American's social connections. Everyone was in at least one social club. Organized for every purpose conceivable. Some were purely social, others were for some political advocacy. One huge difference between this and the medieval guilds is these associations weren't (near as I can tell) exclusive. People might belong to several.
It sounded a bit ... intense, but I do think we've lost something in the intervening centuries