This mutual response is the real cohesive force of society, for when a crisis comes it is this which is tested: «Only a response of honesty to honesty can re-establish the common ground, face the facts, revise the assumptions, and keep the society flexible enough to withstand the storm.» (religion-online.org)
During the 1980s, predicted Schuster, Congress would become a less cohesive force in K - 12 education, power would shift to the states (though few state leaders had the knowledge and expertise to govern their schools wisely), and interest groups would have to figure out how to wield influence in a decentralized environment, in which the old D.C. power brokers no longer mattered. (kappanonline.org)
Christianity, introduced as early as the 4th century, took strong root and still functions as a socially cohesive force in the Christian areas. (vjv.com)