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Then, he writes about how capitalism, has shaken the organizational structure of ... Uses Weber's description of capitalism as a example of how this came about. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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1
Some Reflections on the Institutional Framework
of Economic Development from Structure and
Process in Modern Societies
  • By Talcott Parsons

2
Talcott Parsons
  • American Sociologist
  • Structural functionalism

3
  • Human agency in all societies is balanced by a
    functioning social structure.
  • N V, transmitted through different
    institutions.
  • Plays a vital role by regulating behaviour and
    ensuring individual action consistent with the
    social order.
  • Looks at the transformation of the structure of
    society, and argues that this is due to the
    growth, development, and organization of the
    large-scale, urbanized, industrialized, Western
    type of society.

4
Structure and Process in Modern Societies (1960)
  • Consists of 10 essays written by Parsons,
    condensed into 4 chapters -
  • The Analysis of Formal Organizations
  • Social Structure and Economic Development
  • Structure and Process in Political Systems
  • The Structural setting of some Social functions

5
Concentrates on.......
  • Bureaucratic problems
  • Formal organization
  • Economic development
  • Industrialization
  • Power and authority
  • ...To further his argument.

6
Some Reflections on the Institutional Framework
of Economic Development
  • Essay can be found in the first half of Chapter 2
    (pages 98 -169)
  • References Max Webers work throughout
  • Focused on Webers emphasis on the factor of
    Bureaucracy in business.
  • Parsons describes markets as differentiating over
    several years in response to the strains of
    European expansion and the opportunities this
    expansion provided for an entrepreneurial middle
    class

7
  • He noted that the ability to respond to these
    opportunities depended on certain unique features
    of western development.
  • For example -
  • the legal and military autonomy of the merchant
    cities
  • the checks and balances between church and state
    that prevented political authority from
    inhabiting the growth of the middle class for
    noneconomic political reasons

8
  • Also talks about Religion (Christianity,
    Protestantism) to further his point about
    cultural heritage, and its role it plays in a
    changing market structure.
  • In western culture, Parsons found that Wealth,
    Power and erotic gratification are seen as
    dangerous things of the world
  • Another religious barrier, according to Parsons,
    is the way religions tend to favour
    traditionalistic stereotyped behaviour.
  • This is most prominent where the religious
    tradition itself is strongly permeated with
    magical and ritualistic elements, but it is also
    true wherever much of secular life is endowed
    with direct sacred-symbolic significance.
  • Parsons, T.
    Structure and Process in Modern Societies.
    (1960) pp.105

9
  • Then shifts focus onto political aspects of the
    social structure
  • Political power rests on the support of important
    elements of the collective
  • Such elements, Parsons found, act as a process of
    integrating the social system for the
    attainment of goals, due to the action of
    political leadership elements.

10
  • Then, he writes about how capitalism, has shaken
    the organizational structure of society, changing
    from a family core into a more controlled,
    strong structure.
  • Uses Webers description of capitalism as a
    example of how this came about.
  • He notes that this control over the structure has
    been achieved due to the institution of property.
    He found that this is directly connected to the
    extension of the market system.

11
Criticisms
  • Lack of empirical facts.
  • No concrete data specifically analyzed
  • Dependant on Webers work
  • Wonder whether Parsons has sufficient depth of
    knowledge himself to undertake type of analysis
    Weber/Marx/Durkheim have done on subject of class
    and structure.
  • Accepts Webers view of Capitalism too easily,
    doesnt offer criticism, or in fact counter
    argue such criticism (He agrees and thats that)

12
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