... structures like the family, religion, education and their moral commitment to shared values. Functionalist approach assumes that societies tend towards "stability, equilibrium and consensus" (Wallace and Wolf, 1980. p.17) as they are desirable in society brought about by a harmonious existence of normal state of affairs. They also assume that society consists of "interdependence of parts and adjustive changes" (Haralambos and Holborn, 2004. p.xv) which every part performs some function to control and hold the society together. This is supported by Durkheim who believed that social structures or "facts for example laws, morals, customs and fashions" (Wallace and Wolf, 1991. p.19-21) and social dynamics should be understood aside from individual actions and motives as the former is more than and exist beyond an individual. Furthermore, he argued that without this understanding and consensus a state of "anomie" (Wallace and Wolf, 1991. p.22) which is the breakdown of society, will exist leading ...

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