Human wants differ in different places and at different times. The normal wants of an average Englishman are not the same as those of an average American. Similarly , our wants today are different from those of our ancestors a hundred years ago. Human wants vary according to physical, social, economics and political conditions. However, human wants as a whole do show certain general characteristics.
Wants are unlimited in number
In primitive societies wants were very few and simple, Mostly food, Clothing and shelter. With the technical and economic progress new wants have “cropped” up. It is the tendency of a human being that when he has got one thing, he desires to posses something else and then another and so on. It is for this reason that we say that wants unlimited.
Particular wants can be fully satisfied
If you have the means, you can satisfy any one want fully at a time, for example, wants such as those of food and water. However , these same wants may occur again.
- Wants are alternative (or competitive)
Wants are to some extent alternative. It is possible to satisfy a given want through the use of substitute goods, for example, you may take tea or coffee, coca-cola or pepsi. Your choice may depend on test end, of course, the money at your disposal.
- Wants are complementary
Wants are said to be complementary when, for satisfying one want , one want has to satisfy two or more wants. For example , a car requires petrol and a fountain pen requires ink. A fountain pen and ink are complementary wants.
- Wants vary in urgency and intensity
Through wants may be competitive , they are not generally urgent. The intensity of a particular want may differ from person to person. Present want may be more urgent and intense, for example, a man would buy food before he buys clothes.
- Wants are felt again and again
A few human wants fulfilled whenever are felt over and over, for instance, the longing for food and new clothes will emerge over and over.
TYPES OF HUMAN WANTS
Human wants may be classified as under:-
These are the explained as follow:-
Basic wants
Are those wants which are fundamental for human life e.g. food , good shelter and clothing. These are also known as necessaries ( or necessaries). These necessaries can be further sub-divided as under:-
(a) necessaries for existence
These are things essential for preservation of life. Through we cannot make a list of necessaries, but
What we mean is those things which are absolutely necessary for bare existence including food shelter and clothing. We cannot exist without these necessaries.
(b) necessaries for efficient
These are things which a man must have in order to work efficient at his occupation. Under this group, We include additional things required for maintaining efficiency, such as nourishing food for labourer, satisfactory clothing and housing facilities, opportunities for medical treatment and for education of children and the like.
(c) conventional necessaries
These thing are really necessary for life and efficiency. A particular type of food, drees and a mode of living becomes necessary because of habit, traditions or status. Sometimes , a man may even forgo real necessaries to have the conventional necessaries like tobacco. A man has to live in society. There is an indirect pressure on him to incur a certain amount of expenditure on religious ceremonies, marriages and the like.
Secondary wants
Secondary wans are those wants which are not very essential for the survival of human beings but the satisfactions of these wants improves the standard of living and human beings feel more comfortable and happy. Better education and medical facilities can enable the individuals to enjoy more. These wants can be further subdivided two categories;-
- comforts
whatever gives ease and enjoyment is considered a comfort. Under this category things included are those which increase efficiency and also make life more comfortable. A refrigerator, a radio and a T.V. Set may make life more comfortable and worth living.
- Luxuries
Luxuries are those things, the consumptions of which affords great pleasure, but they are considered superfluous wants.. Rich individuals with truckload of money to extra might enjoy these from a feeling of esteem and social position. As example of these may be cited expensive clothes, jewellerly, top of the range cars, air conditions, costly wines and liquors. These things do not increase efficiency. Indeed, the satisfaction pf these wants in some cases may prove harmful and even hamper efficiency.