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Phan 3

MOT SO CHU THUYET
■

XA HOI HOC HIEN DAI



Chu’o’ng

9

THUYET CHlfC NANG

1. M ot so lu a n d ie m goc
Lich sti cua thuyet nay gan lien vdi ten tuoi cua cac nha
xa hoi hoc nhU: Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile
Durkheim, Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1932), Athur RadcliffeBrown

(1881-1955),

Bronislaw

Malinowski

(1884-1942),

Talcott Parsons (1902-1979), Robert Merton (sinh 1910),
Peter Blau (1918 - 2002) va nhieu ngUdi khac.
Ve mat thuat ngti, chu thuyet chtic nang con dUdc goi la

thuyet chtic nang-cau true hay thuyet cau trtic-chtic nang. Du
vdi ten goi nao, cac tac gia cua chu thuyet chtic nang deu
nhan manh tinh lien ket chat che cua cac bo phan cau thanh
nen mot chinh the ma mdi bo phan deu cd chtic nang nhat
dinh gdp phan dam bao sU ton tai cua chinh the dd vdi tu
cach la mot cau true tudng doi on dinh, ben vting.
Mot sd" tac gia coi thuyet chtic nang-cau true la mot dang
xuat hien tUdng doi cham cua thuyet chtic nang trong xa hoi
hoc. Parsons va Merton da tting sti dung thuat ngti nay va
tting dUdc coi la tac gia cua thuyet chtic nang-cau true.
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Nhiing sau nay, chinh Parsons da cho rang cum tii “chtic
nang-cau true'’ la ten goi khong thich hdp trong ly thuyet xa
hoi hoc va dung thay vao dd la thuyet he thong1.
De tranh tranh luan khdng can thiet, d day chi dung mot
ten goi chu thuyet chtic nang de chi mot tap hdp gom cac ly
thuyet cau true, cac ly thuyet chiic nang va cac ly thuyet ket
hdp chiic nang vdi cau true nhii chiic nang-cau true, cau trucchiic nang2. Cac ly thuyet nay tuy khac nhau ve nhieu diem
nhiing deu thong nhat d nhiing luan diem goc, nhiing pham
tru, khai niem cd ban va phiidng phap luan nghien ciiu.
Nguon goc ly luan cua thuyet cau truc-chiic nang la: thii
nhat, truyen thong khoa hoc xa hoi Phap coi trong sii on dinh,
trat tii cua he thong vdi cac bo phan cd quan he chiic nanghiiu cd vdi chinh the he thong; va thii hai, truyen thong khoa
hoc Anh vdi thuyet tien hoa, thuyet kinh te, thuyet vi ldi,
thuyet hiiu cd phat trien manh3. Tii hai truyen thong nay da
nay sinh nhiing y tiidng khoa hoc ve xa hoi nhii la mot sinh
the hiiu cd dac biet vdi he thong gom cac thanh phan cd
nhiing chiic nang nhat dinh tao thanh cau true o’n dinh.

Comte la ngiidi dau tien de ra hiidng nghien ciiu tinh hoc
xa hoi de tim hieu cac quy luat duy tri sii o’n dinh, trat tii cua

1 Talcott Parsons. The Present Status o f Structural-Functional Theory in
Sociology, trong Lewis A. Coser (Ed. ). The Idea o f Social Structure: Papers
in Honor o f Robert K. Merton. New York. 1975. Tr. 67.
2 Do la nhiing ten goi khac nhau cua cac bien the t i mot chu thuyet chic
nang trong lich s i xa hoi hoc.
3 Hansjurgen Daheim. Thuyet chtic nang-cau true., trong Cdc ly thuyet xa
hoi hoc hien dai. Guter Endruweit (chu bien). Nxb The Gidi. Ha Noi -1999.
Tr. 49-160.

218


cau true xa hoi. Ong cho rang do thieu sU phoi hdp nhip
nhang giufa cac bo phan ma cau true xa hoi bi roi loan gay ra
sU bat thudng xa hoi. NhUng dng chua sti dung khai niem

chtic nang vdi tu cach la pham tru xa hoi hoc.
Spencer da van dung hang loat cac khai niem sinh vat
hoc nhu sU tien hoa, sU phan hoa chtic nang va dac biet la
khai niem cau true va khai niem chtic nang de giai thich cac
hien tudng cua sinh the/cd the xa hoi. Spencer cho rang thdng
qua qua trinh phan hoa, chuyen mon hoa ma xa hoi loai
ngUdi da tien hoa tti hinh thtic ddn gian len phtic tap. Ong chi
ra rang sU bien do’i chtic nang cua cac bo phan keo theo sU
bien doi cau true cua ca chinh the xa hoi.
Durkheim khdng nhting nghien ctiu chtic nang va cau
true xa hoi ma con dUa ra cac quy tac sti dung cac khai niem

nay lam cdng cu phan tich xa hoi hoc. Durkheim de ra yeu
cau la nghien ctiu xa hoi hoc can phai phan biet ro nguyen
nhan va chtic nang cua sU kien xa hdi. Ong cho rang viec chi
ra dUdc chtic nang ttic la ich ldi, tac dung hay sU thoa man
mot nhu cau khdng cd nghia la giai thich dUdc sU hinh thanh
va ban chat cua sii kien xa hoi. De lam dieu dd, can phai vach
ra cac tac nhan gay ra su kien xa hoi.
Ddng gop vao xay dung thuyet chtic nang-cau true con cd
cac nha nghien ctiu khac. Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923)1 nhan
1 Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923) la nha xa hoi hoc, nha kinh te hoc ngiidi Italia.
Tac gia cuon sach Luan ve xa hoi hoc dai ctfdng (Tattato di Sociologia
Generate) xuat ban nam 1916. Ngufdi dau tien diia ra thuat ngii "tinh hoa”
(elite) de chi mot thieu so' ngiidi thong tri da so ngUdi khac trong xa hoi. Tac
gia bang phan loai hanh dong xa hoi logic va phi logic. Pareto coi xa hoi hoc
la mot khoa hoc tong hdp nghien ciiu xa hoi noi chung. Ong viet ring: Xa
hoi ngiidi la doi tUdng cua nhieu nghien ctiu. Mot so trong do tao thanh

219


manh vai tro cua trang thai can b ln g dong trong sii bien doi
cau true xa hoi. Bronislaw Malinowski (1884-1942)1 la ngUdi
dau tien van dung khai niem chiic nang vao nghien ciiu cac
nhu cau va chiic nang tam ly cua cac ca nhan. Tuy ma thuat
la gia khoa hoc, nhung theo dng ma thuat cd nhiing chtic
nang quan trong doi vdi con ngUdi nhu nghi le hoa va cung co
niem tin, hy vong, sii lac quan cua con ngUdi trong cuoc dau
tranh chong lai sU sd hai, nghi ngd va bi quan2. Thed dng, xa
hoi dUdc to chiic de dap iing cac yeu cau va sii doi hoi tam ly
cua ca nhan.

Radcliffe-Brown (1881-1955)3 chu trUdng nghien ciiu
chiic nang cua cac thiet che" trong he thong xa hoi. Theo dng,
xa hoi hoc phai trd thanh khoa hoc tu nhien (thuc chiing) ve
xa hoi vdi nhiem vu chu yeu la phat hien ra cac quy luat cua

nhiing bo mon chuyen nganh: luat, kinh te chinh tri, lich s i chinh tri, lich
s i cac ton giao, v.v. M ot so" khac con chua diidc phan biet bang cac ten goi cu
the. Theo Pareto, tong hdp tat ca cac nghien ciiu nao nham muc dich tim
hieu xa hoi noi chung, chung ta co the dat cho cai ten la X a hoi hoc.
1 Bronislaw Kaspar Malinowski (1884-1942) la nha nhan hoc xa hoi chic
nang ngiidi Ba-lan. Lay bang tien sy toan-ly, nhung sau chuyen sang nghien
c iu nhan hoc xa hoi va (cung v6i Radcliffe-Brown) de ra thuyet cau tricch ic nang de giai thich cac hien tUdng van hoa, xa hoi, kinh te, chinh tri
trong moi hen he tao thanh mot chinh the cau true. Ong giang day mon
nhan hoc xa hoi tai trUdng Dai hoc Kinh te London, 1927-1938. Ly thuyet
ch ic nang cua ong the hien ro nhat trong cuon: A Scientific Theory o f
Culture (1944).
2 Bronislaw Mahnowski. M a thuat,khoa hoc vd ton gido, trong Hoi khoa hoc
lich s i . Nhiing van de nhan hoc ton gido. Nxb Da N ln g . 2006. Tr. 212-213.
3 Alfred Radcliffe-Brown (1881-1955) la nha nhan hoc ca'u tr ie -c h ic nang
ngUdi Anh. Tac gia thuyet xa hoi hoc so sanh trong nhan hoc. Giang day d
nhieu triidng dai hoc d Anh, M y, Uc, Nam Phi. Tac pham chinh: Structure
and Function in Primitive Society (1952).

220


moi quan he xa hoi gitia cac ca nhan. Ong coi cau true xa hoi
la hinh mau, mo hinh cua cac quan he xa hoi hinh thanh,
bien doi trong dieu kien lich sti cu the.
Moi quan he dac biet gitia khai niem cau true xa hoi vdi

tmh cach la cong cu, phUdng phap phan tich va hien thuc xa
hoi gom cac moi lien he xa hoi diidc Claude Levi-Strauss (sinh
1908)1 lam ro trong nghien ctiu no’i tieng cua dng ve nhan hoc
cau true. Ong diia ra “Nguyen tac can ban la khai niem cau
true xa hoi khdng cd quan he vdi thiic te kinh nghiem luan
nhiing lai cd quan he vdi nhting md hinh diidc xay diing theo
thiic te nay”2. Nhiing, theo dng, chi nhting md hinh nao dam
bao bon dieu kien sau day mdi diidc goi la cau true. (1) cau
true cd tinh he thong vdi nghia la sii bien doi cua yeu to" nay
cua md hinh se keo theo sii bien doi cua cac yeu to" khac, (2)
mdi sii bien doi tUdng ting vdi mot md hinh, do dd toan bo mot
loai bien doi tao thanh mot nhdm nhting md hinh tudng ting,
(3) tti bien doi cua mot yeu to" ctia md hinh cd the du bao sii
phan ting cua ca md hinh, (4) md hinh dUdc xay diing de giup

1 Claude-Levi-Strauss (sinh 1908) la nha nhan hoc xa hoi ngiidi Phap. Sinh
d Bruxelles, Bi nam 1908. Nam 1914 gia dinh ong ve song d Versailles,
Phap. Ong hoc luat d Sorbome, nam 1928 diidc bau lam tong thii ky Lien
doan sinh vien xa hoi chu nghia. Hoan thanh luan an tien sy ve Cau true ca
ban cua he than toe nam 1947 d Dai hoc Sorbone. Giang day dai hoc d nhieu
ndi trong do co Hoa Ky. Ong co cong thanh lap Phong thi nghiem nhan hoc
xa hoi va sang lap Tap chi Nhan hoc Phap. Mot trong nhQng cong trinh
nghien ciiu noi tieng nhat cua ong la Nhan hoc cau true xuat ban nam 1958.
2 Claude Levi-Strauss. Nhan loai hoc cau true, trong Boris Lojkine va
Benoit de Treglode. M o t so van d i v i xa hoi hoc vd nhan loai hoc. Nxb Khoa
hoc xa hoi. Ha Noi. 1997. Tr. 293-294.

221

nhan thiic dUdc sii kien quan sat1.
Nhu vay, sU phat trien cua thuyet cau truc-chiic nang la
ket qua cua nhiing dong gop ly luan xa hoi hoc cua nhieu tac
gia khac nhau, nhung thong nhat d cho cho rang de giai thich
sii ton tai va van hanh cua xa hoi, can phan tich cau trucchiic nang cua no, tiic la chi ra cac thanh phan cau thanh
(cau true) va cac cd che hoat dong (chiic nang) cua chung.
Cac luan diem goc cua thuyet cau truc-chiic nang deu
nhan manh tinh can blng, on dinh va kha nang thich nghi
cua cau true. Thuyet nay cho rin g mot xa hoi ton tai, phat
trien dUdc la do cac bo phan cau thanh cua nd hoat dong nhip
nhang v6i nhau de dam bao sii can b ln g chung cua ca cau
true; bat ky mot sU thay doi nao d thanh phan nao cung keo
theo sU thay do’i d cac thanh phan khac. Sii bien do’i cua cau
true tuan theo quy luat tien hoa, thich nghi khi mdi trUdng
song thay doi; sii bien doi cua cau true luon hu6ng t6i thiet
lap lai trang thai can bang, o’n dinh. Doi vdi cau true xa hoi,
cac dai dien cua chu thuyet chiic nang viia nhan manh tinh
he thong cua nd vCfa de cao vai tro quan trong cua he gia tri,
he chuan miic xa hoi trong viec tao diing sii nhat tri, thong
nhat, o’n dinh, trat tu xa hoi.
PhUdng phap luan. Thuyet chiic nang hudng vao giai
quyet van de ban chat cua cau true xa hoi va he qua cua cau
true xa hoi2. Doi vdi bat ky sii kien, hien tudng xa hoi nao,
1 Claude Levi-Strauss. Nhan loai hoc cau true, trong Boris Lojkine va
Benoit de Treglode. M ot so van de ve xa hoi hoc va nhan loai hoc. Nxb Khoa
hoc xa hoi. Ha Noi. 1997. Tr. 294-295.
2 Can chu y t6i y nghia phUdng phap luan cua khai niem cau true ma
Claude Levi-Strauss da neu len nhu sau: “Khai niem cau true khong phai la

222

nhiing ngudi theo thuyet chiic nang deu hudng vao viec phan
tich cac thanh phan tao nen cau true cua chung, xem cac
thanh phan do co moi lien he vdi nhau nhii the nao va dac
biet xet quan he cua chung doi vdi nhu cau chung cua sii ton
tai, phat trien sii kien, hien tiidng dd.
Dong thdi, ve mat phiidng phap luan, chu thuyet nay ddi
hoi phai tim hieu cd che hoat dong cua tiing thanh phan de
biet chung cd chiic nang, tac dung gi doi vdi sii ton tai mot
cach can bang, on dinh cua cau true xa hoi. Vdi tat ca nhiing
dac diem cd ban neu tren, chu thuyet nay cd the goi la thuyet
cau truc-chiic nang hay thuyet chiic nang-cau true.

2. M ot so k h a i n ie m co? b a n
Cau true vd he thong
Cac tac gia khac nhau cua thuyet chiic nang cd quan
niem khdng giong nhau ve cau true, he thong va quan he
giiia chung. Tuy nhien, cd the neu mot each khai quat: cau
true la kieu quan he giiia con ngUdi va xa hoi dUdc dinh
hinh mot each on dinh, ben viing. VI du, cau true phan tang
xa hoi, cau true to chiic nhiem sd, cau true thi trUdng, cau
mot hoc thuyet triet ly, m a la mot phiidng phap”. “No trich lay nhiing sii
kien xa hoi co trong kinh nghiem, dem vao trong phong thi nghiem. Noi
day, no co' cong de dinh chiing diidi hinh thiic khuon mau, liic nao cung xem
trong khong phai nhiing ddn to, ma la nhiing hen quan giiia cac ddn to”.
Trich theo Tran Thien Dao. Chu nghia hien sinh & Thuyet cau true. Nxb
Van hoc. Ha Noi. 2001. Tr. 339. Claude Levi-Strauss da ap dung he tho'ng
phUdng phap cau true vao nghien ciiu cau true lich dai (cac hang trong bang
phan tich) va cau true dong dai (cac cot) cua than thoai. Claude LeviStrauss. “Cau true cua than thoai’, trong Hoi khoa hoc lich sii. Nhiing van

d i nhan hoc ton gido. Nxb Da Nang. 2006. Tr. 214-241.

223


true he gia tri van hoa la nhiing hinh thiic bieu hien cu the
cua cau true xa hoi.
Khai niem “he thong” nhan manh tinh chinh the, tinh
toan ven, tinh thong nhat cua cac thanh to". Vi du, Gordon
M arshall dinh nghia: “He thong la bat ky moi lien he co
cau true hay dUdc dinh hinh cua bat ky mot so" cac yeu to
nao ma he thong do tao thanh mot chinh the hay mot the
thong nhat” 1.
Ca hai khai niem nay deu noi tdi mot tap hdp cac
thanh phan, bo phan co mo"i lien he chat che, hiiu cd tao
thanh mot chinh the ton tai trong mo"i quan he tUdng tac,
trao doi vdi mdi trUdng song xung quanh. Ca hai khai niem
deu nhan manh rang bat ky mot thay do’i d bo phan nao
cung gay ra nhiing thay doi d bo phan khac va d toan bo
cac bo phan khac. Ca hai khai niem nay deu dUdc trien
khai tren cac cap do khac nhau tii vl md den vi md, vi du
mdi he thong ldn deu chiia diing nhieu he thong nho, tUdng
tu nhu vay mdi mot cau true ldn deu cd nhieu cac thanh
phan cau true nho.
Trong nhieu trUdng hdp, khai niem cau true dUdc dung
vdi nghia tUdng tu nhu khai niem he thong. Viec sti dung
tUdng dudng hai khai niem nay the hien rd nhat trong ly
thuyet cua Foucault, Parsons va Merton. Vi du, trong cac
nghien ctiu cua Parsons, khai niem “cau true cua hanh dong
xa hoi” dUdc hieu la “he thong cua hanh dong xa hoi".

1 Gordon Marshall. Oxford Dictionary o f Sociology. 2nd Edition. New York:
Oxford University Press. 1998. 1998. Tr. 659.

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Chiic nang
Chiic nang la nhu cau, ldi ich, sU can thiet, sU ddi hoi, he
qua, tac dung ma mot thanh phan, bo phan tao ra hay thUc
hien de dam bao sU ton tai, van dong cua ca he thong.
Day la khai niem cd ban cua xa hoi hoc dUdc dinh nghia
theo nhieu cach khac nhau. Durkheim coi chiic nang nhu la
cac nhu c&u chung cua cd the xa hoi va bat ky su kien xa hoi
nao cung cd nhiing chute nang nhat dinh, tiic la cd su dap iing
iing nhu cau nhat dinh cua xa hoi. Ong cho rin g su trCtng
phat khdng chi cd chiic nang ddi den bu hay tra thu ddi vdi
nhiing thiet hai do toi pham gay ra ma con cd chiic nang duy
tri trang thai dong thuan, nhat tri cao cua cong dong xa hoi
trUdc mot sii kien xa hoi xay ra.
Radcliffe-Brown chi ra rang cac nghi le ma thuat cd chiic
nang giam b6t cam giac lo sd hiem nguy va tao ra cam giac
yen tam, an toan xa hoi. Nhu vay, chiic nang lien quan tdi
hien tudng tam ly va hanh vi ca nhan song trong cong dong
xa hoi.
Parsons cung coi chiic nang la nhu cau, la nhiing yeu
cau, nhiing doi hoi cua he thong doi vdi tiing bo phan cau
thanh cua no. Diia vao bang phan loai cac chiic nang, tiic la
cac nhu cau cua he thong, Parsons chi ra thanh phan cau true
cua he thong xa hoi. Chiic nang con dUdc hieu la qua trinh

hoat dong dap iing nhu cau, tao ra ich ldi, thoa man yeu cau
cua mot chinh the xa hoi.
Dieu quan trong can chu y d day la chiic nang xuat phat
mot cach tu nhien tii chinh sU ton tai va phat trien cua ca he
thong gom cac bo phan tao thanh mot cau true nhat dinh. Co

225


the hinh dung mot chuoi cac sU kien cua chiic nang nhu sau:
he thong -» nhu c&u —> chiic nang —> bo phan —» cau true —>
he thong.

Chiic nang vd loan chiic nang
Khi phan tich cau truc-chiic nang cua hien tUdng xa hoi,
nha xa hoi hoc phan biet nhiing he qua tich cUc co ldi cho sii
trat tU, o’n dinh, can bang cua hien tUdng dd vdi nhiing he qua
tieu cUc khdng cd ldi, tham chi cd hai, gay mat trat tu, pha vd
trang thai on dinh, can blng. Merton goi nhiing he qua tich
cUc la chiic nang (Function) va he qua tieu cUc la loan chiic
nang (Dysfunction).

Chiic nang trdi, chiic nang an vd loan chiic nang
Merton, mot nha chiic nang luan noi tieng da phan biet:
mot la, loai he qua noi troi dUdc bieu hien, dUdc thiia nhan,
dUdc y thiic mot cach cd muc dich; va hai la, loai he qua tiem
an bieu hien chua rd rang, ngam ngam, chua dUdc thiia nhan
cdng khai. Merton goi loai he qua noi troi la chiic. nang troi,
chiic nang hien (Manifest function) va nhiing he qua chua
bieu hien rd rang la chiic nang an, chiic nang lan (Latent

function).
Ket hdp hai cach phan loai chiic nang (theo bang 2 x 2),
se cd bon loai chiic nang sau day:

226

•

Chiic nang tich cUc noi troi;

•

Chiic nang tich cUc tiem an;

•

Loan chiic nang hien;

•

Loan chiic nang an.


3 . L y th u y e t h e th o n g x a h o i c u a T a lc o tt P a r s o n s

Luac sit
Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) la nha xa hoi hoc ngudi My,
tac gia noi tieng cua ly thuyet he thong xa hoi, ly thuyet hanh
dong. Ong hoc dai hoc chuyen nganh sinh vat hoc, sau do hoc

d triidng Dai hoc Kinh te Luan Ddn va viet luan an tien sy d
Dtic ve de tai Khai niem chu nghia tii ban trong van hoc Dtic
dtidng dai. Ong giang day d khoa Kinh te hoc triidng Dai hoc
Tong hdp Harvard. Trong thdi gian nay, dng cd cdng ldn trong
viec gidi thieu Weber vdi xa hoi hoc My: dng da dich cuon
“Dao dtic Tin lanh vd tinh than chu nghia tii ban” nam 1930.
Parsons da cd cdng dau trong viec diia xa hoi hoc vao giang
day d triidng Dai hoc nay vao nam 1931. Nhiing dng trd nen
no’i tieng trong gidi xa hoi hoc ke tti khi dng chd xuat ban
cuon sach “Cau true cua hanh dong xa hoi” nam 1937.
Parsons cd cdng sang lap ra Khoa cdc quan he xa hoi d
triidng Dai hoc To’ng hdp Harvard nam 1946. Dd la ndi thu
hut sii tham gia cua nhieu nha nhan hoc, tam ly hoc va xa hoi
hoc, trong sd" dd cd ca Gordon W. Alport - tac gia cua ly thuyet
tam ly hoc xa hoi va nhan cach, George Homans - tac gia cua
ly thuyet trao doi xa hoi theo hudng tam ly hoc doi lap vdi ly
thuyet he thong xa hoi cua dng. Parsons la tac gia ctia khoang
270 an pham nghien ctiu, trong so' dd cd nhting cong trinh xa
hoi hoc quan trong nhu: “He thong xa hoi” (The Social
System) (1951) va “Tien tdi mot ly thuyet tong quat v i hanh
dong"

(Towards

a

General

Theory

o f Action)

(1951),

(.Sociological Theory and Modern Society) (1967), (.Action
Theory and the Human Condition) (1978).

227


Ly thuyet he thong - hanh dong
Chiu anh hucing cua nhiing nha ly thuyet xa hoi hoc
noi tieng 6 chau A u1, ly thuyet cua Parsons cung tap trung
vao giai quyet van de ve hanh dong xa hoi va trat tu xa
hoi2. Nhin chung, Parsons sti dung khai niem cau true va
khai niem he thong gan nhu tUdng dUdng nhau vdi nghia
la he thong cd cau true va ca hai deu cd chung nhting
thanh phan nhat dinh3. Khai niem cau trtic nhan manh cac
yeu to' tao thanh khuon mau, dinh hinh he thong mot cach
tUdng do'i on dinh. Khai niem he thong nhan manh mot tap
hdp cac yeu to' dUdc s ip xep theo trat tu nhat dinh, nghia
la dUdc dinh hinh vtia doc lap vtia lien tuc trao doi qua lai
vdi he thong mdi trUdng xung quanh.
Ve mat ly thuyet, vdi tu cach la mot tap hdp ldgic cac

1 Ly thuyet he thong xa hoi cua Parsons chiu anh hucing to 16n ve mat ly
luan t i phia ba nha sang lap khoa hoc xa hoi hien dai la Pareto, Durkheim,
Weber va dac biet la Sigmund Freud. Xem Talcott Parsons. The Social
System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press. 1951. Tr. XI.
2 Me! dau cuon sach He thong xa hoi day 575 trang cua minh Parsons da noi

ro muc tieu cua ong la vach ra mot khung khai niem de phan tich cau true
va cac qua trinh cua cac he thong xa hoi. Talcott Parsons. The Social
System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press. 1951. Tr. 7; Robert J. Holton.
Talcott Parsons: Conservative Aplogist or Irreplaceable Icon?, trong George
Ritzer and Barry Smart (eds). Handbook o f Social Theory. London: Sage
Publications. 2001. Tr. 153.
3 Parsons viet: “Khi mot tap hop cac hien tudng phu thuoc lan nhau cho
thay tinh on dinh va tinh khuon mau du ro rang trong khoang thdi gian
nhat dinh thi ta co the noi la no co “cau true” va co the coi no nhu la mot “he
th on g. Trong James Fargams. Readings in Social Theory: the Clasic
Trandition to Post-Modernism. McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1993. Tr. 213.

228


khai niem1, Parsons xem xet he thong trong mot khong gian
it nhat co ba chieu nhu sau:
•

Thii nhat la chieu cau true - he thong nao cung co
cau true cua no;

•

Thii hai la chieu chiic nang - he thong luon n&m
trong trang thai dong viia tu bien doi viia trao doi
vdi moi trUdng;

•

Thii ba la chieu kiem soat - he thong co kha nang
dieu khien va tu dieu khien2.

Ly thuyet tong quat ve cdc he thong hanh dong. Parsons
dinh nghia “hanh dong” la “mot qua trinh trong mot he thong
tac nhan-tinh huong ma he thong do co y nghia dong cd doi
vdi tac nhan ca nhan, hay, trong trUdng hdp cua mot tap the,
cac ca nhan thanh vien cua tap the”3. Parsons chi ra thuoc
tmh cd ban cua hanh dong la ca nhan khdng nhiing “phan
iing” doi vdi mot “kich thich” nhat dinh cua tinh huong ma
con phat trien mot he thong cac “ky vong” doi vdi cac doi
tUdng khac nhau cua tinh huong xa hoi.
Cau true cua hanh dong gom cac yeu to' dUdc phan hoa va
1 Ve cuon H e thong xa hoi cua minh, Parsons viet: “Cuon sach nay ro rang la
bai luan ve ly thuyet co tinh he thong. No khong phai la sU t h i nghiem
trinh bay ly thuyet ve mot hien tiiOng cu the nhat dinh, ma la sU co' gln g
trinh bay mot sd do khai niem diidc diln dat mot cach logic”. Talcott
Parsons. The Social System . Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press. -1951. Tr.
536.
2 Talcott Parsons. The Social System, trong James Farganis. Readings in
Social Theory: The Clasic Trandition to Post-Modernism. McGraw-Hill, Inc.
1993. Tr. 213-216.
3 Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press.
1951. Tr. 4.

229


ket hdp cua mot he thong tac nhan-tinh huong. Theo Parsons,
mot ddn vi hanh dong (Unit act) diidc cau true bdi nam yeu to

vat chat va tinh than, khach quan va chu quan la1:
•

Muc dich cua hanh dong;

•

Phiidng tien de thiic hien hanh dong;

•

Dieu kien dien ra hanh dong;

•

Cac chuan miic de liia chon muc dich va phiidng
tien hanh dong cho phu hdp;

•

Sii nd liic: nhiing thao tac, cong viec can lam de
thiic hien hanh dong.

Cau true cua hanh dong2 diidc quy chieu, trien khai tren
cac cap do he thong khac nhau, trong dd he thong xa hoi chi
la mot trong cac he thong cua nd. Chinh vi vay, cd the goi ly
thuyet cua Parsons ve hanh dong xa hoi la thuyet he thong
hanh dong xa hoi.
Parsons phan biet it nhat bon cap do he thong va cho
rin g thdng qua qua trinh xa hoi hoa ca nhan, hanh dong cua

con ngUdi hinh thanh va bieu hien tren cac cap do he thong tii
cap hanh vi cua cd the len cap nhan cach, cap xa hoi va cap
van hoa. Dac diem cua tiing cap do he thong nhu sau:

1 Jeffrex Alexander. Van hod vd thuyet chiic nang, trong Do Lai Thuy. Theo
vet chan nhiing ngiidi khong lo: tdn Guylivd phieu li/u ky ve cdc ly thuyet
van hod. Nxb Van hoa Thong tin. Ha Noi. 2006. Tr. 49-50.
2 Trong triidng hdp nay, Parsons goi cac khi'a canh cua hanh vi hen quan
trUc tiep tdi cac he thong thuoc “cap do van hoa” la hanh dong. Talcott
Parsons. Several Interdependent Functions Define Society, trong Lynn
Barteck and Karen Mullin. Enduring Issues in Sociology. CA: Greenhaven
Press, Inc. 1995. Tr. 62.

230


•

Cap he thong van hoa1 tUdng iing vdi he thong
bieu truing. Bieu hien cu the cua no la he cac niem
tin ton giao, he ngon ngii, he cac gia tri va chuan
mule xa hoi. Thong qua cd che xa hoi hoa ca nhan,
cac he thdng van hoa cd kha nang bien cac gia tri
chung cua xa hoi thanh he nhulng gia tri rieng cua
mdi ngiidi va nhd vay thuc hien chiic nang kiem
soat xa hoi, duy tri trat tii va bao ton cac khuon
mau hanh dong cua cac ca nhan. Tren cap do nay,
cd the hinh dung hanh dong la qua trinh giao tiep,
qua trinh sii dung cac ky hieu, cac bieu tiidng, cac
phiidng tien cua van hoa de tiidng tac.

•

Cap he thong xa hoi gom tap hdp cac ca nhan
tiidng tac vdi nhau trong cac tinh huong nhat
dinh. Tap hdp nay gom hai hay nhieu hdn hai cac
tac nhan (actors - hanh the) la ca nhan hay nhdm
ngiidi tiidng tac vdi nhau trong mot tinh huong it
nhat la cd khia canh vat the hay mdi triidng. Moi
tiidng tac giiia cac hanh the diidc cau true hoa
thdng qua van hoa va he cac gia tri chung. Tren
cap do nay cd the hinh dung hanh dong xa hoi la
hanh dong cua nhdm, hanh .dong tap the.

•

Cap he thong nhan cach cd ddn vi cau thanh cd

1 Khai niem van hoa diidc Parsons dung de chi nhiing gi co the truyen nhan
(transmitted) nhii di san, truyen thong; nhiing gi co the hoc tap duoc va
nhulng gi co the chia se duoc. Ong viet: “Van hoa, do la, mot mat, san pham
va mat khac la yeu to' quyet dinh cua cac he thong cua tUdng tac xa hoi
ngUdi”. Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree
Press. 1951. Tr. 15.

231


ban la ca nhan, la chu the hanh dong. Tren cap do
nay, Parsons dac biet quan tam tdi he cac nhu

cau, dong cd, thai do hudng tdi ldi ich ca nhan, tdi
ldi nhuan. Hanh dong xa hoi trong tinh hudng nay
la hanh dong cd y thiic cua con ngUdi.
•

Cap he thong hanh vi bao gom cac qua trinh sinh ly,
vat chat hiiu cd cua ddi song con ngUdi ma quan
trong nhat la he thong hoat dong than kinh va he
thong van dong. Tren cap do nay, hanh dong la hanh
vi co dong cd, c6 dinh hudng, la hanh vi bi thuc day
bcJi nhu cau thoa man mot cai gi dd nhat dinh.

Tat ca cac he thong hanh dong tii cap hanh vi den cap
van hoa deu phai dudng dau vdi nhiing van de chiic nang,
“nhiing nhu cau” cua tong the he thong, dd la van de thich
nghi, hudng dich, thong nhat va duy tri khuon mau. Cac nhu
cau cua he thong ddi hoi cac bo phan cau thanh cua nd phai
dap iing, ttic la cd chiic nang hoat dong de thoa man nhu cau
ton tai, phat trien cua he thong. Cac nhu cau chiic nang cua
he thong la nhiing ddi hoi manh den miic nd buoc bo phan
nao hoat dong khdng dung chiic nang se phai thay dd’i tham
chi bi teo di, hay pha san va hinh thanh bo phan thay the. Bo
phan nao hoat dong cd hieu qua se trUdng thanh, ldn manh.
Cdc bien dinh hinh hanh dong. Con ngUdi hanh ddng
khdng tuy tien hoac khdng hoan toan theo y muon chu quan
ma luon hanh dong trong mot tinh huong xac dinh doi hoi
phai lUa chon. Khi xet he thong cua hanh dong tii goc do cua
cac tac nhan, tiic la cua nhiing ngUdi tudng tac vdi nhau va
vdi mdi trUdng thi cd the thay he thong cua hanh dong la he
thong cua cac sU lUa chon ma cac tac nhan dd thuc hien khi

232


doi mat vdi cac kha nang, cac tieu chuan hay cac doi tUdng
cua tinh huong.
Hanh dong dUdc dinh hinh thanh cac kieu, loai hay dang
thiic khac nhau la do tac dong cua nhting yeu to' dinh hudng
ma Parsons goi la cac bien khuon mau (Pattern variables)1.
Parsons neu ra nam bien khuon mau cua viec xac dinh vai
tro. Co the hinh dung cau true cua he thong xa hoi la cau true
cua cac he thong hanh dong dUdc xac dinh trong moi tUdng
quan cua cac bien khuon mau. ThUc chat, nam bien khuon
m&u tao thanh nam moi tUdng quan lUdng cUc, trong dd mdi
tac nhan la ca nhan hay nhdm cd the quyet dinh hanh dong
theo hudng nay hay hudng khac. Su lUa chon tUdng ting vdi
mdi bien khuon mau la2:
•

Su lUa chon dong cd, tinh cam gitia sU thien vi va
sU vd tU;

•

Su lUa chon ldi ich gitia ldi ich ca nhan va ldi ich
tap the;

•

Su lUa chon chuan mUc dinh hudng-gia tri gitia
chuan mUc pho bien va chuan mUc dac thu;

•

Su lUa chon phUdng thtic hanh dong gitia gianh
lay va gan cho;

•

Su lUa chon quy md cua ldi ich gitia ldi ich dac
trUng rieng va ldi ich pho bien chung.

Tuy nhien, viec hanh dong rdi vao cUc nay hay cUc kia

1Co the coi do nhii la

mot cach phan loai hanh dong xa hoi.

2 Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Ilhnais: The Pree Press.
1951. Tr. 66-67.

233


hoac nlm d mot diem nhat dinh tren tiing moi tiidng quan
neu tren phu thuoc vao nhieu yeu to nhii xa hoi hoa, thiet che
hoa, sii kiem soat xa hoi.
Tom lai, ly thuyet tong quat ve cac he thong cua hanh
dong nhan manh khia canh quan he khi coi he thong cua
hanh dong la he thong cua cac moi lien he cua cac cd the
tudng tac lan nhau va tudng tac vdi cac yeu to phi xa hoi

trong mdi trUdng hay tinh huong1. Thuyet nay, tiic la thuyet
he thong hanh dong xa hoi, nhan manh khia canh chinh the
khi cho rin g he thong cua hanh dong la he thong duy tri-ranh
gidi. Thuyet nay nhan manh khia canh cam tinh cua cac he
thong hanh dong khi cho rang viec nghien ciiu hanh dong
phai xuat phat tCf quan diem cua ngUdi hanh dong, “tdc
nhan". Thuyet nay nhan manh tinh xu hudng cua cac he
thong hanh dong khi chi ra cac khuon mau van hoa, cac dinh
hudng gia tri, cac bien khuon mau cua sii dinh hudng vai tro
va cac dieu kien tien quyet cua hanh dong. Thuyet ve cac he
thong hanh dong cua Parsons la mot ly thuyet tong quat,
phiic tap gom cac thuyet ve van hoa, thuyet ve he thong xa
hoi, thuyet ve nhan cach va thuyet ve hanh vi ddi hdi sii
nghien ciiu tiep theo ve ly luan va thuc nghiem.

Thuyet he thong xa hoi
Mot so khai niem ca ban cua ly thuyet ve he thong xa hoi.
Theo Parsons, xa hoi la mot kieu hay loai he thong xa hoi dap
iing dUdc tat ca cac ddi hoi chiic nang cd ban cua mot su ton
1 Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press
1951. Tr. 543.

234


tai lau ben tu: cac nguon liic ben trong cua no1. He thong xa
hoi la he thong cua cac qua trinh tudng tac giiia cac tac nhan
(Actors), do do, Parsons cho rang, cau true cua he thong xa
hoi ve cd ban la cau true cua cac moi lien he giiia cac tac nhan
tham gia vao qua trinh tiidng tac2.

Ddn vi cua he thong xa hoi. Parsons phan biet bori ddn vi
cua he thong xa hoi nhu sau3:
•

Mot la dong tac xa hoi (Social act) do mot ngUdi
thuc hien va hudng vao mot ngUdi hay nhieu
ngUdi khac nhu la doi tUdng,

•

Hai la vi the-vai trd vdi tmh cach la mot tieu he
thong cd to’ chiic cua mot ngUdi hay nhieu ngUdi
chiem giii nhiing vi the da cho va hanh dong hudng
vad nhau theo cac xu hudng tUdng tac nhat dinh.

•

Ba la ban than tac nhan - ngUdi hanh dong vdi
tinh cach la mot ddn vi xa hoi, mot he thong cd to
chiic cua tat ca cac vi the va vai tro dat ra doi vdi
ngUdi dd nhu la mot doi tUdng xa hoi va vdi tinh
cach la “tdc gid” cua mot he thong cac hoat dongvai trd.

•

Bon la ddn vi tong hdp, la mot tap the vdi tinh
cach la mot tac nhan va mot doi tudng.

1 Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press.
1951. Tr. 19

2 Talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press.
1951. Tr. 25.
3 talcott Parsons. The Social System. Glencoe, Illinais: The Pr^e Press.
1951. Tr. 26

235


Tiidng iing vdi bon loai ddn vi he thong xa hoi la bdn loai
cau true xa hoi: cau true cua cac dong tac xa hoi, cau true cua
cac vi the-vai trd, cau true cua cac tac nhan hanh dong va cau
true cua tap the.

Set do ly thuyet AGIL: He thong bon chiic nang
Parsons noi tieng trong gidi xa hoi hoc ve sd dd ly thuyet
he thong xa hoi viet t it la AGIL theo bon chui cai cua bon tieu
he thong. Theo Parsons, he thong xa hoi dUdc cau thanh tii
bon tieu he thong (he thong nho hdn), tudng iing vdi bdn loai
nhu cau hay bon loai chiic nang cd ban cua he thong xa hoi.
Bon loai yeu cau chiic nang cua xa hoi la:
•

Mot la: Thich iing (Adaptation - ky hieu la A) vdi
mdi trudng tu nhien-vat ly xung quanh.

•

Hai la: Hudng dich (Goal Attainment - G) - huy
dong cac nguon luc nhim vao cac muc dich da xac
dinh.

•

Ba la: Lien ket (Integration - I) - phoi hdp cac hoat
dong, dieu hoa va giai quyet nhiing khac biet,
mau thuan.

•

Bdn la: Duy tri khuon mau lan (Latent-Pattern
Maintenance - L) - tao ra sii on dinh, trat tu.

Tii dd, trong xa hoi hoc hien dai da xuat hien sd do noi
tieng cua Parsons ve he thong xa hoi viet t it la sd dd AGIL,
con dUdc goi la sd do he thong hay md thiic “bon chiic nang”1.
1 Robert J. Holton. "Four-Function" Paradigm, trong George Ritzer and
Barry Smart (eds). Handbook o f Social Theory. London: Sage Publications
2001. Tr. 155.

236


Trong he thong xa hoi, tieu he thong (A) co chtic nang
cung cap cac phiidng tien, nguon liic va nang liidng de thiic
hien cac muc dich da xac dinh. Trong he thong xa hoi, day
chinh la tieu he thong kinh te. Nen kinh te, cac doanh nghiep
va cac qua trinh kinh te diidc to chtic de thiic hien chtic nang
thich ting ctia xa hoi doi vdi mdi triidng khan hiem cac nguon
liic va dang bien doi khdng ngting.
Tieu he thong hiidng dich (G) ddng vai trd xac dinh cac

muc tieu va dinh hiidng cho toan bo he thong vao viec thiic
hien muc dich da xac dinh. Tieu he thong hiidng dich trong xa
hoi chinh la he thong chinh tri vdi cac to chtic dang phai va
cac cd quan chinh quyen trung lidng va chinh quyen dia
phiidng cung nhieu ddn vi va cd quan quyen liic khac.
Tieu he thong lien ket (I) thiic hien chtic nang g in ket
cac ca nhan, cac nhdm va to chtic xa hoi, dong thdi kiem soat
xa hoi thdng qua giam sat, kiem tra, dieu chinh, trting phat
de giai quyet cac quan he mau thuan, xung dot nham tao nen
sii on dinh, sii doan ket va trat tii xa hoi. Tieu he thong lien
ket gom cd cac cd quan phap luat, cd quan hanh chinh va bo
may an ninh xa hoi.
De ton tai mot cach on dinh va trat tii, mdi xa hoi can
phai co tieu he thong bao ton (L) thiic hien chtic nang kich
thich, dong vien cac ca nhan va nhdm xa hoi, dong thdi dam
nhiem chtic nang quan ly va bao tri cac khuon mau hanh vi,
ting xti cua cac thanh vien. Tieu he thong L bao gom gia dinh,
nha triidng, to chtic van hoa, tdn giao, khoa hoc, nghe tfruat.
Thdng qua cac cd che xa hoi hoa, hdp thtic hoa va thiet che
hoa he cac gia tri, chuan nuic xa hoi cd kha nang dap ting nhu
cau duy tri cac kieu hanh dong, cac khuon mau hanh vi de
237


bao dam trat til, on dinh, can bln g va an toan xa hoi.
Cac tieu he thong quan he vdi nhau theo nguyen ly dieu
khien hoc. He thong d cap do cao hdn ve thong tin nhiing yeu
ve nang liidng (vl du he thong van hoa - L) chi phoi va kiem
soat he thong ci trinh do cao hdn ve nang liidng nhiing kem ve
thdng tin (vl du he thong kinh te - A).

Cac tieu he thong cd moi quan he qua lai vdi nhau theo
nguyen ly chiic nang de tao thanh mot chinh the toan ven.
C hlng han, tieu he thong kinh te cd moi quan he qua lai vdi
nhau va vdi cac tieu he thong khac cua xa hoi de lay nguon
“dau vao” va cung cap “dau ra” la san pham, hang hoa va
dich vu. VI du, doanh nghiep sii dung lao dong cua cdng nhan
cd trinh do chuyen mon va ky nang tay nghe do tieu he thong
giao due tao ra va doi lai, nd tra cdng lao dong cho cdng nhan
de ho nuoi song ban than va gia dinh.
Cac tieu he thong trao doi vdi nhau thdng qua mot loat
cac phUdng tien va cdng cu xa hoi, vl du, tai san, tien bac,
quyen liic, sii anh hUdng, sU g in bd va niem tin. Mdi mdt cap
tieu he thdng quan he trao doi vdi nhau thdng qua mot sd" loai
phUdng tien chuyen biet. PhUdng tien cd ban cua tieu he
thong A la tien, von; cua tieu he thong G la quyen liic; cua
tieu he thong I la sii anh hudng; va cua tieu he thong L la sii
cam ket ve mat gia tri1. Chang han, tien cdng la phUdng tien
chinh de trao doi giiia tieu he thong kinh te (A) va tieu he
thong duy tri khuon mau (L). Von tu ban la phUdng tien

1 Jeffrex Alexander. Van hod vd thuyet chiic nang, trong Do Lai Thuy. Theo
vet chan nhiing ngiidi khong lo: tdn Guylivo phieu litu ky ve cdc ly thuyet
van hod. Nxb Van hoa Thong tin. Ha Noi. 2006. Tr. 5 7 .

238


chinh trong quan he trao doi giiia tieu he thong kinh te (A) va
tieu he thong hudng dich (G). Can chu y la cac chtic nang va
cac tieu he thong co the tUOng ting dan xen, bu trti vdi nhau

rat phtic tap. Vi du, tieu he thong chinh tri trong tinh huong
nhat dinh cd the dam nhan ca nhiem vu lam kinh te va
nhting to’ chtic kinh te doc quyen manh cd the lung doan
chinh tri, phap luat.
Ly thuyet ve cac he thong xa hoi cua Parsons dUdc trinh
bay dudi dang sd do khai niem chu yeu giup ta phan tich va
md ta hanh dong xa hoi va trat tu cua cau true xa hoi mot
cach to’ng hdp, khai quat va he thong1.

4 . T h u y e t c a u tr u c -c h iic n a n g c u a R o b e r t M e r to n

Litdc sic
Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) sinh ra trong mot gia dinh
ngUdi Do Thai di cU sang My song d thanh pho" Philadelphia.
Ong lay bang cti nhan d Dai hoc To’ng hdp Temple va lam
luan an tien sy dudi sU hudng dan cua Talcott Parsons d
trudng Dai hoc Tong hdp Harvard. Tti nam 1941 den khi nghi
hUu, Merton giang day va nghien ctiu d TrUdng Dai hoc Tong
hdp Columbia.
Khi ndi ve ly thuyet he thong xa hoi, Parsons cho biet,
trong mdt thdi gian dai dng va Merton dUdc moi ngudi biet tdi

1 Doi vdi

Parsons, ly thuyet xa hoi hoc, v6i tii cach la mot khia canh cua ly

thuyet ve cac he thong xa hoi, chu yeu quan tam tdi hien tiidng thiet che
hoa cac khuon m&u dinh hiio'ng-gia tri trong he thong xa hoi. Talcott
Parsons. The Social System . Glencoe, Illinais: The Pree Press. 1951. Tr.
552.

239