Page 39 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Unit 5: Approaches to the Study of Kinship: Structural Functional

their existence because such structures possess more properties of adaptability. Durkheem was Notes
influenced with his views these functional approach, principle and system.
Emile Durkheem—The ultra-modern functionalism is more indebted to Durkheem than to
Spenser. Like Spenser, Durkheem was also very much influenced with biological concept in his
preliminary write-ups. His preliminary views were directly influenced by Spensor. Durkheem
has expressed his scientific study system in his book the ‘Rules of Sociology Methods’ and in his
articles. He help in making this principle attractive for sociologists and social humanists. Dur-
kheem has made clear differentiation in function of labour division and its reasons in the second
chapter of his book on labour division. The function of labour division is a variation of society.
Moral density increases as a result of the pressure of population. He had expressed following
logics in this regard:—
(i) Where the pressure of population and social interaction will increase, there, the control made
of simple segmented society will be shattered and there will be increase in competition which
will became a danger to the society.
(ii) To reduce or control of this increased competion and hostility specialised functions are
adopted which makes persons more interdependent on one-another. In this way, the situation
arrives to adopt the morality of mutual responsibility. The function he told is that the division
of labour increase on the increase of population pressure which increases specialisation and
internal mutual interdependency increases, due to which the members of the society have to
co-operative and which reduces hostility and competition and management establishes in the
society. He also established the same in the study of religion also that function of religion estab-
lishes unity in the society.
Upto the time of Durkheem, functional approaches were not established in social sciences—es-
pecially in sociology and Social Humanity but remarkable influence of his views were noticed
on its development.

What is the distinction between the function of labour division and its reason?

Contribution of Merton
R.K. Merton had made notable contribution to structural-functional approach, system, analysis
and principle through his world famous book ‘Social Theory and Social Structure.’ First of all, he
had made critical evaluation of the views, principles and agreements through this approach of
sociologist and social humanists came earlier to him, thereafter he presented an amended form
of function system, which is as following—

Merton’s Critical Evaluation of Predecessor Functionalists

Prior to the presentation of the functional system of himself, Merton had critically evaluated
Durkheem, Redcliff Brown, Malinovisky, Davis, Moor and Klukhaun, etc., which are as under—
Merton wrote, “These functionalists had adopted three mutually related postulates mainly in
general form of functional approach which are now proved to be useless and controversial.”
These are as under—(1) Postulate of functional unity of the society (2) Agreement of universal
functionality (3) Agreement of Indispensibility

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