Looking for a plural noun related to ‘fulcrum’ or ‘pivot’ that denotes multiple things as crucial to success
The title says it all. I will include an example sentence to contextualise how I want to use this word:
Cooperation, reciprocity and trust are the _____ to human prosperity—not selfishness.
Of course I can reframe the sentence and just simply say “are crucial to” or “are pivotal to”, but I really want a plural noun that is similar to fulcrum to designate more than one thing as being pivotal to give the sentence extra “punch”.
I checked and found that ‘fulcra’ is the plural noun of fulcrum, but it just sounds a little awkward for my liking and I could not find sufficient examples of it used in sentences.
Solution 1:
Cornerstone
something that is essential, indispensable, or basic
(source: Dictionary.com)
The sentence would become:
Cooperation, reciprocity and trust are the cornerstones of human prosperity—not selfishness
Solution 2:
I think a very simple word works best here, namely keys:
2 b : an instrumental or deciding factor
// the key to her success
(source: Merriam-Webster)
It will be understood by virtually everybody, unlike fulcrum which I actually had to look up...
Solution 3:
pillars OED
A fact or principle which is a main support or basis of something.
As in:
1920 F. S. Fitzgerald This Side of Paradise There had been a time when his own Celtic traits were pillars of his personal philosophy.
... the pillars to human prosperity
A pillar can be someone or thing that is considered a foundational or supportive. Someone indispensable to your company might be considered a pillar to the organization, a loved one a/the pillar of your life.
Solution 4:
Linchpins also comes to mind. From Merriam Webster Dictionary
One that serves to hold together parts or elements that exist or function as a unit.
Solution 5:
Foundations would work (and is almost a synonym of cornerstones). "Foundations of human prosperity" results in a few literal google hits.
(If you allowed verbs I would actually opt for hinges which preserves your mental image of "pivoting": Human prosperity hinges on cooperation, reciprocity and trust. A nice side benefit is that you can have multiple hinges, as opposed to only a single fulcrum ;-).)
Because this answer was deemed too short by a reviewer I'll mention the obvious reasons to give this answer: Like cornerstone, foundation denotes a base on which another thing (here: human prosperity) rests and without which it cannot be established, which makes it a good term for a sine qua non, which is how I understand the question. The google hits are a good enough reference for me — they show that the literal word combination is indeed used, at least occasionally.