Abstract

The slogan “to each according to his needs” was widely proclaimed by 19th-century socialists and can be found as a formula for social justice as early as St. Augustine's City of God. The Stoic ideal of “the man of few needs” and Rousseau's critique of civilization in terms of the distinction between natural and artificial needs have much in common. These, however, are subordinate traditions in Western European culture that did not succeed until recently in entering “needs” in mainstream discussions. It is only in the mid-20th century that attempts to define the limits of the concept have been undertaken — a project to which this volume is a contribution.