Needs

Needs are conditions or requirements that are essential for life, health, safety, and well-being. They are distinguished from wants, which are desires that may be nonessential or aspirational. The concept crosses fields such as biology, psychology, economics, and public policy, where the focus is on identifying what individuals must have to function and thrive.

In economics and development, basic needs typically refer to essential goods and services—adequate food and clean water, shelter, clothing, healthcare, sanitation, and basic education. Access to these needs is uneven, contributing to poverty and social inequality. Policies often use needs-based assessments to allocate resources, target interventions, and measure progress, from social protection programs to humanitarian aid in emergencies.

In psychology, needs are internal drivers that motivate behavior. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a well-known framework, proposing physiological and safety needs at the base and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization higher up. Other theories emphasize different components, such as McClelland's needs for achievement, affiliation, and power, or Self-Determination Theory's emphasis on autonomy, competence, and relatedness as universal psychological needs.

In philosophy and political theory, debates treat needs in relation to rights and capabilities. Amartya Sen's capability approach focuses on what people are able to do and be, given their resources, rather than merely what goods they own. In humanitarian and public health contexts, needs assessments guide the prioritization of interventions to restore or preserve life and dignity, while recognizing that fulfilling needs can expand people’s capabilities and opportunities.