Perustarpeena

Perustarpeena is a concept used in Finnish sociopolitical discourse to denote a set of essential requirements necessary for a person to live with dignity and participate in society. It is often framed as a normative ground floor for welfare policy, below which interventions are needed to prevent deprivation and exclusion. The term emphasizes what a state should guarantee as a minimum, rather than what individuals may aspire to beyond that baseline.

Etymology and scope: The word combines perustua or perusta (base, foundation) with tarve (need), with the adverbial suffix -na indicating “as a basic need.” In practice, perustarpeena covers both material necessities—such as adequate food, housing, clothing, and basic healthcare—and social provisions, including education, income security, safe living conditions, and access to essential services. In some discussions, digital access and information literacy are included as modern components of basic needs, reflecting changing social and economic realities.

Policy relevance: The concept is used to argue for a floor of welfare that supports equal opportunity and social participation. It informs debates on social security, housing policy, healthcare access, and education funding, and is often cited in discussions about universality versus targeting of benefits. Proponents contend that a clear perustarpeena helps prioritize government commitments and measure progress toward reducing poverty and marginalization. Critics question the practicality of defining a fixed threshold across diverse contexts and warn against rigid prescriptions that could limit flexibility in welfare design.

See also: basic needs, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, social welfare, universal basic income, minimum income protection.