Needs and Wants
Needs are things essential for survival, such as food and shelter, while wants are things we would like but can live without.
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Needs are things essential for survival, such as food and shelter, while wants are things we would like but can live without.
- Needs include water and clothing
- Wants vary between people
- Advertising can create wants
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Needs and Wants?
Within Economics & Civics, which covers money, markets, business, government, law and citizenship: how societies are organised and run, this topic explains Needs and Wants. Economics and civics topics explain how money, markets, laws and government affect people, so each topic here pairs a clear definition with a model.
Check that you can explain Needs and Wants in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Needs and Wants helps you read the news critically and weigh up policies, choices and arguments about society.
Needs and Wants in detail
Needs are things essential for survival and basic wellbeing, such as food, water, shelter, clothing and healthcare. Wants are things we would like but can live without, such as designer clothes, a games console or holidays. The line between them can be blurry and may differ by person, place and time, for example internet access is a need for many people today.
Wants are unlimited and keep growing, while needs are limited. Prioritising needs before wants is the basis of budgeting. Advertising often tries to turn wants into perceived needs. Governments focus on helping people meet their basic needs, with measures such as benefits and public services.
How the interactive helps you understand Needs and Wants
Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Needs and Wants.
Real-life uses and examples
- Use Needs and Wants to weigh up the pros and costs of a policy or decision.
- Explain Needs and Wants to a classmate using a choice you make yourself, such as spending pocket money.
- Give a balanced answer about Needs and Wants by considering more than one point of view.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing a short-term effect with a long-term one.
- Giving an opinion without evidence or a clear economic or civic reason.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Needs and Wants
What is Needs and Wants?
Needs are things essential for survival, such as food and shelter, while wants are things we would like but can live without.
What are the most important points about Needs and Wants?
The main points are: Needs include water and clothing; Wants vary between people; Advertising can create wants.
Why is Needs and Wants useful?
Understanding Needs and Wants helps you read the news critically and weigh up policies, choices and arguments about society.
How can I practise Needs and Wants?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Needs and Wants?
Related topics in Economics & Civics include Supply, Competition and Monopoly, Banks and Saving.