Mudabicara.com_ Functionalism theory is one of the theories proposed by a great sociologist named Emile Durkheim. As the first professor of social sciences in France, Emile Durkheim wrote several social theories that are still influential until today’s millennial era.
In addition to the theory of functionalism, Durkheim also sparked several theories including the theory of social facts and the theory of the division of labor. In addition, he also researched the correlation of the phenomenon of suicide with social facts which became one of the hot and controversial discussions at the end of the early 19th century.
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Now! This time, mudabicara wants to review more deeply about what is the theory of functionalism?, What exactly is the theory of functionalism? And what is the impact on the development of social science? For more, see the following reviews:
The Beginning of Functionalism Theory
Functionalism theory or often called functional structural theory is one of the theories that is still being discussed in the study of social science until now.
This theory originated from the thinkers of the flow of positivism. A sociologist and father of modern sociology, Auguste Comte became one of the thinkers who drove the birth of functionalism theory. In addition, another important figure is the father of social Darwinism, namely Herbet Spencer
In principle, the basic assumption of this theory comes from the view of a character Thomas Hobe who stated Homo Homini Lupus which means Humans are wolves to their fellow humans.
Hobe’s statement sparked the enthusiasm of social thinkers to study how to create an orderly order among human beings.
At first Comte, developing an analogy about organisms, then developed by Herbert Spencer as thinking about the equation of organisms or requisite functionalism .
Meanwhile, human life has various kinds of differences in behavior, goals and intentions. As a result, this situation requires a theory or approach in order to achieve a society that has social order.
Emile Durkheim’s initial interest in researching social behavior was when he studied Comte and Spencer’s approach to organisms.
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The organism view views society as a biological organism having organs that are interrelated and depend on one another. This dependence is the result or consequence for the organism to survive.
Herbet Spencer assessed that social science about the transformation of society has the same tendency. The transformation of society must be based on the science of life because society is an entity that is interconnected with one another.
Therefore, Durkheim tries to explain the function of these different societies in order to achieve a social stability or order through a theory which he calls the theory of functionalism.
Emile Durkheim’s Theory of Functionalism
The theory of functionalism is a purely sociological theory that discusses the role of society in the social sphere. The starting point of the theory of functionalism is the role of the community in the community, not the role of the individual community. This theory states that society is formed from various factors and systems that are interrelated with each other.
Clearly, functionalism theory describes a society that has systems, subsystems and factors that are interrelated and have different functions and roles.
These different functions and roles cause people to work together and depend on each other in order to create social order.
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Emile Durkheim explains that society is a unit in which society has distinct parts. The difference in these functions has the aim that the system runs in a balanced manner.
Society in functional theory is imagined as a unified subsystem that has its own functions and duties. The linkages between communities are functional and interdependence, there is one part that stops functioning, it will affect other functions.
This means that if there is one part of society that falters and suddenly changes, it will affect other communities.
Criticism of the Theory of Evolution
Historically, functionalism theory was born as a critique of the theory of evolution developed by Robert Merton and Talcot Parsons.
Robert Merton and Parsons view that society is like an organ, so that there is a functional mechanism between people. Functional mechanisms function as stability in order to achieve balanced community growth.
However, Emile Durkheim’s functional theory explains that society has many systems and subsystems such as education, religious institutions, political structures, organizational structures, economics, government and families.
All of these systems are intertwined which are related to each other so that it is impossible to explain in the social mechanism of Robert Merton and Parsons.
Every system that forms society, for example the political structure, either has a significant role or not, but the political structure has an important function in forming a complete and functioning society.
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When there is an event that injures the values of the political structure, there is a direct change in the political structure that will affect others.
So that each system in society has its own function to meet different needs. When there is a system that changes, social problems will naturally arise so that the impulse to create a replacement system is born.
In general, functionalism theory aims to make people see the value of stability in carrying out social activities. Emile Durkehim’s theory of functionalism is one of the theories that contributes to the development of social science studies, especially sociology.
Examples of Functionalism Theory in Society
1. Social Changes in the Concept of Buying and Selling
Along with the times, people have changed the concept of buying and selling. In ancient times the concept of buying and selling applies a barter system of one item for another as long as the exchange value is commensurate.
After the concept of money emerged, buying and selling changed using the exchange rate. The goods will be valued according to a certain value according to general agreement.
After the emergence of electronic money, people no longer use physical money as a means of buying and selling. The buying and selling process at this point can be done by transferring data from Document A to Document B.
2. Conflict Events
Conflict events are all forms of personal and group actions that can have a positive or negative impact on the condition of society.
For example, the industrial revolution in France is an example of changes in class and economic systems in European countries. The industrial revolution is one example of the growth of industrialization and the economic spirit of capitalism.
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3. Social Structure
We can mark the social structure in the context of social change by the collapse of the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the communist ideology, many countries adopted a democratic political system in government.
The changes in the political system have also resulted in changes in the social, economic and cultural structures in several countries that have adopted the new political system .
4. Society
In the development of society, of course, there are many norms, rules and laws that must be obeyed. One example is if there is a policy of increasing the price of basic commodities, there will be inflation in various basic commodities. The road construction policy has also become one of the social changes in functional theory.