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Social Stratification

Notes Parson’s Theory of Social Control
Parson’s Theory of Social action was his original contribution to the field of social thought. Along
with that he has also given the theory of social control. He has started with the idea that by nature
and necessity every human being is a social animal and that he preserves his interests than the
interests of any other person. In other words his best interests lie in himself. If he is not checked
in achieving his personal interests, he is so selfish that he will not mind disturbing the whole
social system. It is with the help of social controls that individual is checked so that he does not
become too selfish and does not disturb social order or social stability.These controls and
mechanisms must go hand in hand. Social stability can be possible only when tendencies to have
selfish interests first and foremost are fully checked. In his opinion mechanism of social control is
nothing else, but checking of such tendencies and habits among the human beings by which they
are prepared to even disturb social stability and equilibrium, so that their selfish interests are fully
met. In his own words, “The most fundamental mechanisms of social control are to be found in the normal
process of interactions in an institutional integrated social system.”

Stability and social equilibrium is maintained with the help of some mechanisms, which
the society devices and which suit best to his conditions.

Institutions : In social control institutions play a big role. In fact without institutions there can be
no social control. Institutions help in integration and without that there will be divergency.
Institutions help in correlating activities of various individuals and groups. These also help in
minimising conflicts at social level. Thus it is with the help of institutions that some order and
equilibrium is maintained.
Forms of Order : The order which helps in maintaining social equilibrium and stability is of two
kinds : namely Time Schedule and Institutional Priorities. According to Time schedule order for
completing an activity some schedule is fixed. In other words if there are different activities these
are to be performed at different times and to be completed according to different time schedules.
In this way no activity or group interferes with the other and social stability and equilibrium is
maintained. But in every society there are certain actions which are given priority over other
actions. These help in avoiding conflicts because every social system clearly knows about them. In
the words of Parsons, there is priority scale then “in chosing one obligation above the other the
individual can in general be backed by the sentiments of common value system.”
Institutionalised System of Priorities : Priority can be fixed by taking individual or immediate
needs. But it is always desirable that priorities should be institutionalised. Without that the
individuals may get involved into conflicting demands and might not be in a position to either
systematise or order behaviour. Since institutionalised priorities determine the behaviour of a
person therefore these are helpful in maintaining social control. He believed that the process of
social control is a continuous one and mechanisms are used only when under certain pressures
normal system either completely breaks down or tends to break down. He has also said that
mechanisms of social control have their own limitations. Each mechanism is responsive to certain
system and does not break down under certain situations and to some extent. Mechanisms will
break down when more pressure is exerted on them, with the result that new mechanism will
have to be devised.
Fundamental Mechanisms : Obviously whole social control cannot be observed with the help of
time schedule and institutionalised priorities, because individual is being interacted by various
means and also by various groups, persons and situations. Other means of social control or

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