ABSTRACT
The functionalists suggest that we should begin with a logical analysis of the concept of 'society' and ask ourselves what has to happen if any society—large or small, simple or complex—is to survive and develop. Like Emile Durkheim, some functionalists also make use of an organic analogy. According to the functionalists, every society has a culture which includes values and norms. Indeed, there is a consensus on certain values and norms in every society. Values are standards that define some actions as desirable, others as undesirable. Talcott Parsons, the most influential functionalist author, produced a theory of society in which culture, social structure and personality are linked together in a logical and coherent way. Education is a major socialising agency developing in individuals the 'commitments and capacities' necessary for role-performance. Parsons also tries to show how the socialisation and allocation functions are linked together in the school class.
