THE DEGREE OF UNITY
Unity plays an important role in the integration process. It indicates to what extent the system (e.g. the region, the state, ...) forms an integrated part.
There are two dimensions involved:
- an external dimension: how does the system relate to its environment?
- an internal dimension: how does the system manage its internal affairs?
Externally, a system demonstrates unity if and to the degree that it is able to act like one vis-à-vis its physical and social environment. It concerns the actual capacity of a system to effectively mobilise, use and coordinate the efforts and resources of its members.
From an internal point of view, unity consists in the ability of the system to steer the behaviour of its members in such a way that the problems and tensions among them will be solved, so as to prevent these from escalating to violence. In other words, the capacity of a system to urge its members to behave in mutual advantageous ways towards each other, so as to enhance the efficiency of each other's behaviour, is a measure of the degree of integration in the system.
So, basically, when we are talking about a system's measure of integration, we are referring to the system's level of order. Because, it is the system's degree of order, which determines the capacity of the system to make its members behave in mutually beneficial ways and to effectively mobilise, use and coordinate the efforts and resources of its members.
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