ove, can be seen at the appropriate level of reference as a social system in its own right. (Craib 1992) Moreover, it is essential to establish Parsons' social system as one which is self- equilibrating. (Wallace et al 1999 p, 41) Whist this has been criticised as a functionalist vice, it is however, a feature of Parsons' social system. He asserts that the structured elements, (ie. role, collectivity, norms and values) from the most general level - the central value system - to the most specific - normative conduct - the social system is infused with common values, thus providing the basis for social order. (Haralambos et al 1996) When values become institutionalised and behaviour structured in terms of them, the result is a stable system, a state of 'social equilibrium' when the various parts of the system are in a state of balance. (Collins 1988) However, the maintenance of such a stable state is through socialisation and mechanisms of social control which discourage deviance and so maintain order in the system. (Collins 1988)How then, does Parsons account for social change? Indeed society is ever changing. Parsons' approached this problem by arguing that although a certain degree of equilibrium is essential for the survival of societies, "no system is in a perfect state of equilibrium." (Haralambos et al 1996 p, 676) Although systems never attain complete equilibrium, they do however, move toward this state whereby a social systems reaction to a disturbance will lead to some degree of change, however small, in the system as a whole. He regarded change as a process of 'social evolution'. (Craib 1992) Parsons' belief (however limited due to teleology) that the parts of the system will reorganise to bring back to normal is a feature of his social system as well as the functionalist perspective in general. (Wallace et al 1999)It is necessary to establish a varying perspective of the 'social system' or society and the way in which an al...
