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Trade-offs in the need hierarchy
Based on motivational theory in psychology, individuals’ needs are categorized into a five-tier model of needs called Maslow’s hierarchy. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, these needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. This article discusses three examples from China, Iran, and Afghanistan, arguing that individuals and groups within human collectivities, such as nation-states, constantly trade off among these needs under different circumstances.
From the liberal point of view in politics, it is argued that people will want more democratic rights and freedom as they become more affluent. Based on this notion, towards the second half of the 20th century, the West opened up to the People’s Republic of China and traded with it. The expectation was that once China got rich and the middle class increased (physiological needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of requirements), the people would press the communist party of China for more freedom and democratic rights (Esteem needs). However, it appears this did not happen though the Chinese middle class has grown in the last 30 years, the Chinese communist party's grip on total power remains as firm as ever. Recently, the government stepped up digital surveillance in China, installing millions of security cameras at every corner across the country. This amounts to the state picking into the private lives…
