Functionism

Functionism is a belief system and social structure where a Cybertronian's role in society is defined by their alternate mode. Trucks and construction vehicles are required to engage in manual labor employment, for instance, while a proton microscope would be allowed to seek out intellectual pursuits. Becoming widespread in Cybertronian society after the disappearance of Nova Prime and the Ark, functionism apparently reached an apex during the reign of Nominus Prime.

Functionists often have a religious underlining to their beliefs, accepting that a forged alt-mode is the will of Adaptus, the Guiding Hand's god of forms and contemporary of Primus Lifegiver himself.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Functionism became prominent on Cybertron in the last six million years, after the loss of the first Ark. A Cybertronian's status was determined not only by the utility of their alt-mode, but also its scarcity. The more unique an alt-mode was, the higher a Cybertronian could climb in society, and vice versa. At one point, Cybertronians who transformed into memory sticks were so common, they were considered a "disposable class" and treated as little more than slaves. Before & After

Under unknown circumstances, functionism became a less totalitarian philosophy during the reign of Nominus Prime (although this apparently happened in spite of the Prime, not because of him). Chaos Theory Part 1 Functionist hardliners still existed, such as in the town of Petrex where complaining about one's alt-mode was punishable by prison. Elsewhere on Cybertron, though, it was acceptable to defy Adaptus and undergo full-body retrofitting to change alt-modes permanently...provided you had enough credits. For a more modest fee, Relinquishment Clinics offered "body tourism", using sparkswap technology to let Cybertronians temporarily try out a different alt-modes from a "donor". Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc

Functionism labelled and categorized citizens by something beyond their control, and so it inevitably prompted a negative response. The Militant Monoform Movement, who rejected Adaptus and their transformation cogs, may have arisen as a direct response to the dictates of functionism. Chaos Theory Part 2 More famously, or perhaps infamously, Megatron and the Decepticons got started as manual laborers and miners rejecting the functionist doctrine of the Senate that restricted their place in society. Megatron Origin