Family Economics And Consumer Education 3 (2+1)

Lesson 02 : Human Wants

Classification Of Wants

Human wants are numerous. They are classified into different groups based on their special characteristics. Economists have classified wants into three categories

1. Necessaries
2. Comforts and
3. Luxuries

1. NECESSARIES:

Necessaries are the basic wants or needs of man. These wants are to be satisfied for the very existence of man. Wants for food, clothing, shelter etc are essential for human survival. Hence these wants are considered as necessaries.
These necessaries are further subdivided into

1. Necessary of life.
2. Necessary of efficiency and
3. Conventional necessaries.
1. Necessary of life are those goods which are essential for liveli hood like food, shelter and clothing satisfaction of these wants is absolutely essential for survival of man as these are basic needs of man.
2. Necessaries for work efficiency. Wants for certain items in occupations become necessary. Good nutritious food for work efficiency, tools and equipments for occupations like carpentry etc these wants cannot be ignored. They are necessaries for work efficiency. Those goods without which one can manage, but which are available can improve the efficiency of the consumer are known as necessary of efficiency.
3. Conventional or social necessaries-Conventional necessaries are those goods and services which one consumes because of the social strata to which one belongs. These necessaries also arise because of habit formation.

Ex-Marriage ceremony-social strata

2. COMFORTS:

Some goods and services over and above necessaries are required to live a comfortable life. Comforts are secondary wants in man’s life. These wants make our life easy and comfortable. They give extra facilities and pleasure to live or work. They improve the overall efficiency of life and work. Goods satisfying such wants are also called comforts. Comforts are useful and desirable wants to improve the common standard of living. Such wants relate to radio, fans, TV, cushioned furniture, neat clothes, good food etc.

3. LUXURIES:

Wants which are in excess of reasonable comforts are usually termed as luxuries. They are superficial and are costly. They have snob appeal, wants for jewelry, air conditioner, large bungalow etc are luxuries. These wants when satisfied may give extra enjoyment. They do not add to the existing level of efficiency of a person. They add to the standard of living of a consumer.

TESTS FOR CLASSIFYING WANTS

1. If a want is essential for doing work or for existence of life or when custom and habit may force its use, then such a want or commodity is regarded as necessary.
2. When a want adds to the pleasure and enjoyment and also the efficiency of a person it is considered as a ‘necessary’.

A want for a commodity which does not add anything to the efficiency by is just meant for enhancing the prestige of a person is considered as a ‘luxury’.