An actor’s pursuit of a goal presupposes that the actor values the intended condition above alternative conditions. A goal need not be formulated operationally or measurably; it is sufficient that the actor prefers an intended condition and directs action towards it.
Social changes may arise from the actions of individual persons or from the joint and mutually dependent conduct of individuals within and between social circles without anyone having intended or designed the eventual social outcome.
Purposive action may form part of a process of social change without the process as a whole proceeding purposively. An intended change may be realised, but it may simultaneously alter circumstances, possibilities for action and social relations. Other individuals may respond from their personal civilisation and from the circle civilisations within which they act. Those responses may cause further changes that the original initiators neither intended nor foresaw.
Purposive change of an existing circle civilisation takes place within a social environment in which that circle civilisation is already being reproduced, legitimated and institutionalised, and supported by social sanctioning. Alternative civilisation elements are therefore not introduced into a neutral environment, but compete with elements that are already socially operative and partly internalised.
Change in a circle civilisation presupposes that the civilisation elements being pursued are internalised by sufficient numbers of individuals and become socially operative within the circle. Purposive change has succeeded when those elements have been sufficiently internalised and become sufficiently operative to realise and maintain the intended condition; institutionalisation is required only insofar as the intended change makes it necessary.
The likelihood that the civilisation elements being pursued will be internalised increases as they become more comprehensible, plausible and desirable to individuals. New elements always compete with already operative civilisation elements and may be accepted, modified, combined or rejected.
An actor does not change a circle civilisation directly. Purposive action may cause social change because the actor influences the conditions under which civilisation elements are presented to individuals and subsequently disseminated, internalised and, where relevant, institutionalised within social circles.
An actor may legitimate goals by reference to civilisation elements shared with the support base. When the justification of a goal corresponds to these shared elements, the goal may become recognisable, appropriate or justified to the support base and contribute to support for the purposive action.