This book is the edited version of my doctoral thesis submitted in 1985 at La Trobe University, Melbourne. The research was begun back in 1974 with the impetus provided by the late Dr Bernard Zylstra of Toronto. Since that time there have been innumerable persons who have encouraged me along the way. David Bettison, at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, added his advice.

Since 1982, Alan Cubbon at La Trobe University has made a most important contribution to my evaluation of Talcott Parsons. My attempts to unravel the various strands of the argument in The Social System were greatly helped by the fruits of his long-term critical appraisal of Parsons' writings. I can now join the many others who can pay tribute to the busy and perceptive scholarship of teachers and mentors who have been so busy gleaning insights for their students that they have scarcely paused to compose journal articles and learned tomes.

I also thank Mrs Helen Parsons and Professor Charles Parsons for their warm and friendly encouragement. Victor Lidz, Clark Elliott, Bernard Barber, Harold Bershady, Jeffrey Alexander, Larry Nichols, Howard Brick, Ruth Barton, Keith Sewell and Charlotte Carr-Gregg are a few of the others who have made a contribution to the thinking that has gone into this book, and to these colleagues I am most grateful.

Thanks also to Tim Harland and Rita Jackson, willing helpers at various times when help was needed.