Why Communication? On the Theoretical Principles and Consequences of Luhmann’s Systems Theory

This article analyzes the main theoretical principles underlying Niklas Luhmann’s contribution to social systems theory. First, the reasons behind the attempt to adopt certain developments within the general theory of systems in sociological theory are clarified. Following this approach, social systems are conceptualized as entities differentiated from their environment on the basis of the specific operation of communication. Second, the internal differentiation of social systems is examined, focusing on the functional specifications responsible for the emergence of a plurality of autonomous subsystems such as modern law, modern politics, and modern economy. Finally, an overview of the investigation of the main mechanisms related to social evolution is provided. Relying on a neo-evolutionary perspective, the theory examines processes of variation, selection, and stabilization for functional subsystems of modern society, as well as specific devices, called structural couplings, that reciprocally coordinate those subsystems.