How were the relations of the authorities with secret societies built?

Power is inextricably linked with secret societies, and just as inextricably those in power deny their participation in them. Although it should be noted that secret societies are a very vague concept. It seems to many that the secret society is something like an American college fraternity, or a Masonic lodge, but just gathering in the bathhouse gave more important decisions than hundreds of hours of negotiations between politicians. In general, we can say directly that power in general is a secret society that is well disguised.