"Compare and contrast the functionalist and Marxist competing views concerning the purpose of the socialisation process".

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"Compare and contrast the functionalist and Marxist competing views concerning the purpose of the socialisation process".

Functionalists and Marxists have very similar theories as to the socialisation process. I intend to show this and compare these similarities.

There are many well-known functionalists but I am mainly focusing on the views of Talcott Parsons and Emile Durkheim in particular.

There are many aspects of the socialisation process to cover both concerning functionalist and Marxist views, these include cultures (made up of many different branches), values (peoples beliefs), and norms (patterns of behaviour). Also primary and secondary socialisation.

Functionalists and Marxists both share similar views on the socialisation process. Both viewpoints are based on the substructure of society this is formed by many external influences as follows; the family, media, religion, education and, the state. Both functionalist and Marxists believe that we are the products of social stimuli and are socialised according to our external influences. They both believe in the "top-down" theory seeing society as a stage with all these influences shaping our individual identities. " If society were a stage then we individuals are simply puppets dancing to the tune of the social structures that