Government can be looked upon from a variety of different perspectives, but one of the most influential is the functionalist view. This perspective holds that the purpose of government is to serve as a stabilizing force in society and to help promote order and cohesion. In this sense, there are several purposes that government serves, but there is also one that is not typically included in the functionalist view: the pursuit of individual rights and interests.

The primary purposes of government according to the functionalist perspective are to maintain social order, provide collective security, promote economic welfare and stability, and ensure justice within society. This means that the primary role of government is one of a mediator – it is responsible for ensuring that the laws and regulations protecting citizens are in place and enforced, and that the rights of citizens are respected. The pursuit of individual rights, however, is not a primary function of government, since it is seen more as a subset of maintaining social order.

For instance, the protection of civil rights is seen as a component of ensuring social order, rather than a purpose of government in its own right. The same applies to the protection of private property rights, access to educational opportunities, and so on. These are all important elements of a functioning society, but they are not considered primary functions of government.

In conclusion, it can be said that while the functionalist perspective acknowledges the importance of certain individual rights and interests, it does not consider the pursuit of these to be a primary purpose of government. Rather, the main functions of government should be seen as providing collective security, maintaining social order, promoting economic welfare, and ensuring justice within society.