One of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology is the functionalist perspective. The theory explains how society is made from different connected structures. The structures include learning institutions, marriages, law, economy, and government. Emile Durkheim, a sociology philosopher, viewed society as an orgasmic structure that has different components, which play different roles, to make it whole (Sharrock, Cuff, Dennis, & Francis, 2015). The theory has succeeded in explaining some laws of society like social facts. Social facts are unique objects that cannot be influenced by an individual. Some of these objects are law, proper regulation, and suicide. The following objects have been set by society as a standard set of ethical codes that control the living of people in a community.
Structural society needs a manifest function that shows the importance of different communities in a society. For example, a business will bring people together and, therefore, the fabrics that hold people together are similarities in economic functions, social set up, and population growth. People in a society thrive by co-depending on each other; farmers need factories to buy their produces, and factories will require businesses to distribute their products. Therefore, the mutual dependence on everyone in society helps in holding people together.
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The theory makes sense because it gives a clear perspective of society. It has helped in understanding the structural dependence and co-dependence of a society. For example, for a country to expand its economic margins, it depends on citizens to pay taxes. Through taxes, learning institutions can be built, and social amenities will be provided. For this to be accomplished, the government will provide job opportunities for citizens. With job opportunities, families can raise and provide for their children. Hence, co-dependence makes a society grow.
In a Guardian article by Steve Holland and Dave Graham (2019), President Donald Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs on Mexican goods. The tax would be imposed if Mexico failed to sign the migration act. Immigration in the United States has caused heated conversations over the past year, and it is a topic that seems to be contentious over the next few days to come. The president of the United States is fighting tooth and nail in making sure that immigrants do not take refuge in his country. He wants a wall built in the Mexican border, to prevent people from settling in America.
From a sociological view of the matter, the theory that applies to the case above is conflict theory. This is because there is inequality to a minor group, the immigrants that are fleeing to the United States. The struggle of interest and power is evident as the president wants to impose higher taxes on Mexican goods, so that they can sign the immigrant's act, through the manipulation tactic. Conflict perspective explains that the development of society is experienced through feudalism, socialism, and capitalism. It shows how powerful groups exploit their power at the expense of the vulnerable groups (Sharrock, Cuff, Dennis, & Francis, 2015). Therefore, the building of the wall indicates that the United States is using its power to oppress the minority groups. Even though the president argues that he wants to make the country safe for its citizen, the push to rebuild the wall has brought the conflict to his government.
References
Holland, S., & Graham, D. (2019, 4 th June). Trump defies own party to push ahead with Mexican tariff threat. The Guardian. Retrieved on 14 th June 2019 from https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/world/mexicos-ebrard-eyes-common-ground-in-us-talks-on-immigration-tariffs-318358/
Sharrock, W. W., Cuff, E. C., Dennis, A. J., & Francis, D. W. (2015). Perspectives in sociology . Routledge.
