From a functionalist perspective, the role of societies is to provide a function which socialises individuals into holding and believing certain ideologies within a value consensus. Society members come to agree with these values and norms, which become `moral codes'. An example of moral codes will be the 10 commandments, which has influenced formal controls such as the law and informal controls such as moral disapproval. Codes like this regulate the behaviour of individuals.

Functionalism sees society as a social based on consensus theory. It begins from the assumptions that society has certain basic needs which must be met if it is to survive.

It focuses on positive functions that religion performs for society. Functionalist accepts that religion benefits the whole of society, while building interactions between society members.

Functionalists believe in the caste system, this supports their belief that individuals are placed in their social status for a...