Five functional requisites of society
A functional requisite is a major task a society must satisfy in order to survive. There are five functional requisites.
| # | Requisite | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Replacing members | Without this first requisite, the population would diminish through attrition and death. The society must perpetuate itself in sheer numbers. |
2 | Socialization | New members must be socialized into the society, or else it will descend into chaos. Socialization can be achieved through religion, education and other institutions. |
3 | Production, distribution | Goods and services must be generated, and disseminated through economic institutions. |
4 | Preserving order | There must be a protection against internal and external attack. Police to patrol the streets and military to defend against invasion fulfill this requisite. |
5 | Purpose | A sense of purpose brings people under the yoke of society, even if perpetuating the society requires personal restraint and even sacrifice. Without purpose, the society is destroyed by individual self-interest. |