This posting is the last of a series of postings in which I am
presenting a set of functions a group needs to fulfill in order for it to be a
federated group.[1] A federated group is a group that is made up
of individuals or groups that come together and formulate a collective to
accomplish stated purposes and to be united under the provisions of a covenant
or compact. For such a group to be
viable and able to overcome obstacles that stand in its way, the group needs to
meet certain functions. I have, to date,
identified four such functions:
producing, adapting, sophisticating, and liberating. These first four functions were derived from
the concerns expressed by Samuel P. Huntington;[2] the
fifth function, which I am presenting in this posting, stems from my interest
in civics. The reason that civics is
essential to our nation, our political system – a federated group – pertains to
this function I am calling maintaining.
This fifth function is a concern that takes a group in a different
direction from those of the other four functions. The first four functions tend to point a
group toward change. Whether the effort
is toward producing or becoming more sophisticated or seeking autonomy
(liberating), the group dedicates energy toward looking for different ways of
doing things, toward change. But in the
case of maintaining, the focus is dedicated toward keeping that which
exists. This bias is particularly true
when it comes to basic values which determine a group’s structure, processes
and, most important, ideals. As such,
there are two main processes in which the maintaining function is satisfied: recruitment and socialization.
In order to maintain those key elements of a group, a group
needs to have the right people in the right positions. It needs these people to have the skills –
both technical and social – knowledge, motivations, and energy to accomplish
the roles the position demands. Of
course, this presupposes that the group has met the sophisticating function
sufficiently well so that the appropriate roles have been identified and the
structural elements have been put in place to begin with. But given that this has been done, then a
group needs the right type of person to fill the position.
The other process is socialization. Here is where civics is so important. A federated group needs to teach and promote
those elements of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and commitment that
support the basic values of the group – values that are reflected in its
founding covenant or compact. This
can be tricky in that federated groups will most likely be committed to
progressing toward more equality and liberty.
Given the nature of social life, as social conditions change in a group’s
environment, a group will be challenged to adapt to new demands. Through these changes, a group will be
tempted to change its basic commitments.
This makes it imperative to value, as a basic value, change itself, but without
selling out and changing its founding values. One can change, but one should not sacrifice
who one is and this extends to groups.
If the demand is to make such a change, then it might be time for the
group to terminate.
A teacher who wants students to analyze a group’s performance
regarding the function, maintaining, might ask the following questions:
By which process are new members to the group identified and allowed
into the group?
Does the group evaluate the performance of its members to
hold up its basic commitments and take steps to shore up any deficiencies
stemming from poor performances?
Are effective processes in place that accommodate
unanticipated turnover in group membership?
Are members taught those elements of skill, knowledge,
attitudes, and values central to the foundation of the group? Is the group effective in teaching those
elements?
Are members effectively encouraged to support the group’s
basic values, beliefs, and commitments?
As
with the other functions, these suggested questions are not meant to be an
exhaustive list. The reasons for such a
study will probably determine what specific questions an educator will ask.
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