Social Theories Structural Functionalism, Marxism, And...

Numerous social theories emerged to explain society and the human condition during the 19th and 20th centuries. Deeply embedded within the social experiences and predicaments of prominent theorists, the perspectives and priorities understood to be significant indications of society’s inner workings varied tremendously. These theories developed a specific view point on the importance of ideals such as culture, production, structure, language, and individualism within society. The role of the individual, in particular, sparked disagreement between many of the theories. Are individual agents bound by the circumstances and functional needs previously set and inherently understood to continue the equilibrium of the society? And if they are not, should the individual’s unique thoughts and perspectives be considered the first step to analyzing any part of the society? To delve deeper into the debates, three social theories – structural functionalism, Marxism, and existe ntialism – will be dissected in regards to their appreciation, or lack thereof, towards the individual. Structural functionalism developed from the initial foundation of Emile Durkheim in the late 19th century and expanded upon fully by A.R. Radcliffe-Brown. In looking for the reason a society is held together, Durkheim focused on social ‘facts’ – the facets of society such as customs and values that dictated the operation of the overall system in meeting individual’s social needs. These facts are not derived from