We open with a discussion of the Parsonian solution to the ‘problem of order’ in human societies, emphasising the functional significance of ‘adaptive structures’ in that solution. Adaptive structures adapt the dominant structure of a society to the realistic conditions of its existence. We then argue that the Command Economy of World War II is an example of an adaptive structure in that it adapted the American system of free-enterprise capitalism to the threat to its cultural boundaries posed by the Axis powers. Precisely because they are alternatives to the dominant structure, adaptive structures must be institutionalised. But their legitimacy must be conditional, and there must be mechanisms in place to prevent them from becoming the dominant structure, that is, to prevent the ‘tail from wagging the dog’. We deal with both features of the situation surrounding the Command Economy of World War II. Finally, we deal with arguably the most important change in the structure of American society that can be traced to the Command Economy of World War II, the Military-Industrial Complex and the National Security State to which it is related.

中文翻译：

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指令经济作为一种适应性结构

我们首先讨论人类社会“秩序问题”的帕森式解决方案，强调“适应性结构”在该解决方案中的功能意义。适应性结构使社会的主导结构适应其存在的现实条件。然后，我们认为二战的指挥经济是适应性结构的一个例子，因为它使美国的自由企业资本主义体系适应轴心国对其文化边界构成的威胁。正是因为它们是主导结构的替代品，适应性结构必须制度化。但它们的合法性必须是有条件的，必须有适当的机制来防止它们成为主导结构，即防止“尾巴摇狗”。我们处理围绕二战指挥经济形势的两个特征。最后，我们讨论了可以说是美国社会结构中最重要的变化，它可以追溯到二战时期的指挥经济、军工复合体以及与之相关的国家安全国家。