Basic human needs

Basic human needs include food, clothing, housing, medical care, social services, and education. These are fundamental human rights.

Every person needs, at a minimum, adequate nutrition (including clean drinking water), clothing, housing, medical care, social security, and education to survive and thrive. These essential needs are formally recognized in international law, most notably in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”[1]

Article 26 of the same declaration affirms the right to education, which is also a fundamental human need. In the modern world, without at least a basic education, an individual cannot become completely independent or fully realize their potential as a human being.

“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.”[2]

When these basic needs are not met, the consequences are devastating: suffering, hunger, preventable disease, and even death. People deprived of life’s essentials often experience humiliation, social exclusion, and violence. Instead of learning, working, or developing their potential, they are forced to devote their time and energy to mere survival. They live in constant uncertainty, often unsure where their next meal will come from. Such conditions can drive individuals into exploitative labour, perilous migration, or even crime—not out of choice but out of sheer desperation.

Meeting basic human needs is the foundation of well-being—for both individuals and society. True well-being means that everyone’s needs are met, without barriers and that all people can lead a peaceful, safe and healthy life.

Beyond material necessities, well-being also encompasses health, education, social inclusion, a clean environment, access to quality public services, and personal growth and happiness opportunities.

To capture this broader vision, some countries now use indicators such as Gross National Happiness (GNH)[3]—pioneered in Bhutan—which assess not only economic performance but also spiritual, cultural, social, and environmental well-being. GNH is defined as a “multidimensional development approach seeking to achieve a harmonious balance between material well-being and the spiritual, emotional and cultural needs of society.”[4]

As His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bhutan's leader, said: “To me, GNH is simply development with values.” [5]

How can we speak of real development today when a large part of humanity still suffers from a lack of basic necessities? Today, development is nothing more than rampant and destructive economic growth without any human values. Can we even call that development?

Meeting basic human needs is, therefore, not merely an economic or social objective—it is the moral and practical foundation of a just society and a thriving humanity. It is also the economy’s most essential and urgent task.


From the e-book Meditations on the Sharing Economy


[1] United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 25. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

[2] Ibid.

[3] Wikipedia. Gross National Happiness. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_National_Happiness

[4] GNH Centre Bhutan. History of GNH. Retrieved from https://www.gnhcentrebhutan.org/history-of-gnh/

[5] Ibid.