The Fundamental Problem

Alfred Endres and Volker Radke
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Alfred Endres: University of Hagen
Volker Radke: State University Ravensburg

Chapter 2 in Economics for Environmental Studies, 2018, pp 11-19 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The satisfaction of human needs constitutes the primary goal acknowledged in mainstream economics. In order to explore the nature of human needs, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is discussed. Human needs are observed to be principally without constraint. A «good» is defined with regard to its ability to satisfy a human need. Within the set of goods, commodities are distinguished from services. A classification of goods according to the criteria of excludability from use and rivalry in use is presented. Production is identified as the most important approach to make goods available. The main problem that forms the point of departure of economic thinking is described as the tension between the boundlessness of human needs, on the one hand, and the limited availability of the means to satisfy those needs, on the other. This phenomenon is called «scarcity».

Keywords: Human Need; landLand; Subsidiary Set; Withdraw Money; unemploymentUnemployment Insurance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-54828-8_2

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