Final answer:
The functionalist perspective in economics views the cyclical nature of the economy as natural and believes that market forces should be allowed to fluctuate in a cycle through stages of surplus, inflation, and recession.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functionalist perspective in economics views the cyclical nature of the economy as natural and believes that market forces should be allowed to fluctuate in a cycle through stages of surplus, inflation, and recession. This perspective argues that government intervention and attempts to control the natural cycle can be counterproductive. For example, it suggests that adjusting interest rates to encourage more lending and spending can help control the risk of an economic depression, but letting the natural cycle fluctuate is not a gamble most governments are willing to take.