The Problem of Order and the Theory of Social Reproduction

Abstract

“The Problem of Order” proposed by Talcott Parsons, which has been argued in many ways, is still one of the most important sociological theme among contemoporary authors such as Nilkas Luhmann and Anthony Giddens. How the problem of order is treated with in the theories of Luhmann and Giddens, is discussed here. Though both theories are of course different from each other, they both arrive at “the theory of reproduction”. From the viewpoint of reproduction, the order is not considered as a state just against the disorder (conflict), but a process which continuously renews the precedential order in time by human practice. Society fundamentally depends on “paradox” or “contradiction”, and the social order is inherently impossible. Therefore the social order can be only temporarily constructed. Luhmann and Giddens analyze these mechanisms, each relatively laying emphasis on an 'ideal' or 'real' aspect. Theory of reproduction indicates that simple dualism of order-disorder is ineffective, but it has a tendency to invalidate the distinction between stability and non-stability, which is a core of the problem order. It is necessary to utilize the theory of reproduction to analyze various modes of stability and non-stability.