How can Parsons' AGIL framework be used to analyse key problems is a society? Discuss. (UPSC CSE Mains 2018 - Sociology, Paper 1)
Parson’s AGIL model is the systematic depiction of certain societal functions which every society must meet to be able to maintain stable social life. He identified 4 functional prerequisites for a social system to exist-
- Adaptation- It implies generation and acquisition of resources from outside the system, its external environment and to affect its distribution in the system. Economic system is instrumental in performing this function.
- Goal-Attainment- It involves the determination of goals, motivating members of the system to attain these goals, and mobilizing the members and their energies for the achievement of these goals. For example, political system and power/ authority structures.
- Integration-It helps to maintain coherence, solidarity and coordination in the system. It is performed by cultures and values, laws etc
- Latency-It stores, organizes and maintains the motivational energy of elements in the social system. Its main function is pattern maintenance and tension management within the system. Structures like religion, education, family performs this function.
Parsons’s categories apply to systems and their sub-systems and their sub-subsystems.
Application of AGIL key framework-
Parsons was motivated to make a grand-level theory. In his AGIL model, he claims that any social system can be analysed by these functional prerequisites.
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I
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L
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Cultural System
--make individual abide by rules
--cause behavioral change
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Social System
--Make laws and rules to ensure the implementation of goals
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Economic system
--Provide resources for infrastructure and personnel
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Political System
--Set goals like accident rates, occurrence of traffic jams
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A
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G
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- The economy performs the adaptation function by providing the resources to the government to create infrastructure like traffic signals, highways etc and to hire personnel to manage the traffic.
- Political system set the goals towards low accidental rates, fewer traffic jams, noise and air pollution.
- The integration of these goals are performed by laws which supervise the implementation of the rules. Compulsion of helmet, following traffic signals, CCTV surveillance are some integrative measures
- Finally the latency function is performed by families as vehicle owners can have family responsibilities which make them abide by laws and be safe on roads.
Parsons in his AGIL framework explained the interconnectivity in a social system and the means to correct the disruptive behavior i.e. social control.
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