Disrupting Human development: from hierarchy to interconnectedness
Many have heard of Maslow’s pyramid. Published in 1943, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory has been one of the most widespread psychological models. As we face unprecedented crises, the time has come to reconsider human development practices moving from hierarchy to interconnectedness.
Maslow used “stages” of development. In doing so, he depicts human development as a linear journey with key milestones ranging from basic to higher-level needs. He clearly makes a difference between “deficiency needs” (basic needs) and “growth needs”. This approach implies that lower needs must be met before an individual can achieve their fullest potential.
The hierarchy of needs depicts a picture of human beings in need of things to reach the highest levels of happiness and development. This can be questioned as this approach very much connects with the current narrative of wealth and status in western societies. By itself, the hierarchy designed by Maslow symbolises the old power principles. Old power enables top-down structures of control and influence ranking stages of development as a linear process.
Human Development in an era of great change
The converging crises of our time call us to rethink our approach to human development with a new power perspective. New power is predicated on the emergent capacity of the collective and its intention to participate in systems. The interconnectedness of living systems and human beings demonstrates the limitations of individualistic models. We cannot consider individuals as separated from nature and their community.
Citizens of the world are first and foremost part of a wider web of life. They belong to a large system influencing their daily lives and actions. Climate disruption is an obvious example showing that without a healthy environment, there cannot be healthy human beings.
Living in an era where collective action is required, it is essential to change our lens. We need to look at the importance of community belonging for new models of thriving societies to emerge.
Max-Neef Fundamental needs model
In 1986, Manfred Max-Neef came up with the “Fundamental human needs” theory. Not as well-known as Maslow’s pyramid, this theory is much more adequate for the era we live in. Moving away from linear thinking, Max-Neef highlights the interconnection of human needs not being exclusive to each other.
He describes human needs as being universal to all communities and cultures focusing on the essence of being Human. Max-Neef believes human needs are part of a whole system interrelated to one another. His work relies on three main pillars: fundamental human needs, increasing self-reliance and a balanced interdependence of people with their environment. The theory is interactive and dynamic.
Max Neef’s model focuses on 9 fundamental human needs:
1. Subsistence
Human beings need to access physical and mental health, equilibrium, sense of humour, and adaptability. This is enabled through food, shelter, and work.
2. Protection
Human beings need to access care, adaptability, autonomy, equilibrium, and solidarity. This is enabled through insurance systems, savings, social security, health systems, rights, family, and work.
3. Affection
Human beings need to access self-esteem, solidarity, respect, tolerance, generosity, receptiveness, passion, determination, sensuality, and sense of humour. This is enabled through friendships, family, partnerships, pets, and relationships with nature.
4. Understanding
Human beings need to access critical conscience, receptiveness, curiosity, astonishment, discipline, intuition, and rationality. This is enabled through literature, teachers, method, educational policies, and communication policies.
5. Participation
Human beings need to access adaptability, receptiveness, solidarity, willingness, determination, dedication, respect, passion, sense of humour. This is enabled through rights, responsibilities, duties, privileges, and work.
6. Idleness
Human beings need to access curiosity, receptiveness, imagination, recklessness, sense of humour, tranquillity, and sensuality. This is enabled through games, spectacles, clubs, parties, and peace of mind.
7. Creation
Human beings need to access passion, determination, intuition, imagination, boldness, rationality, autonomy, inventiveness, and curiosity. This is enabled through abilities, skills, methods, and work.
8. Identity
Human beings need to access a sense of belonging, consistency, differentiation, self-esteem, and assertiveness. This is enabled through symbols, language, religion, habits, customs, reference groups, sexuality, values, norms, historical memory, and work.
9. Freedom
Human beings need to access autonomy, self-esteem, determination, passion, assertiveness, open-mindedness, boldness, rebelliousness, and tolerance. This is enabled through equal rights.
Human development for positive change
With Max-Neef’s fundamental human need theory in mind, we can move away from the obsolete way of approaching human development. His theory has a people-centred approach. It is all about giving back power to individuals themselves to shape their own lives. Very much aligned with Bio-Leadership, it gives us a clue about the way we need to satisfy our needs and help others attain their highest ideals.
