On Heller's Theory Of Need

If we divide the academic career of Heller into different periods,the theory of human needs will be regarded as her early thoughts.The reason why she treated the theory of human needs as a major issue was connected closely with the appeals for " Recurring to Marks" and the critique of the Stalinization.Heller's theory of human needs was the outcome of the collision between history and present,culture and crisis.Although Heller's Needs Theory comes from its early theories and later on her focus was shifted to modernism,her theories of diversified needs,values and life style and microcosmic historical research method run throughout her research.Her concern of free personality establishment and daily life humanization and her emphasis on diversified needs and values linked with each other and became the feature of Heller's historical philosophy and social critical theory.Concretely speaking,through the study of the inner coherence of Heller's early and late thoughts,we hold that needs is a logical center for the coming-up and development of Heller's thoughts and theories,which shows itself in that her understanding of needs embodies her daily life theory,historical theory,modernity theory and postmodernism political theory.And human beings' needs show its complexity because it's related with many levels such as theory and reality,and individual and society.Thus,to grasp Heller's thoughts as a whole and solve its theoretical logic,it's important to make clear her understanding and statement of the issues concerning needs.Heller's Needs Theory belongs to the social critical theories in the 20 th century.Under the influence of Max's alienation theory and Lukacs' reification theory,Heller holds that the final contentment to people's diversified values is the core of the realistic criticism on the contemporary society and the capitalist society.Through analysis,Heller finds that in the contemporary society,It is the political administration of the social authorities that determines the procedures of the contentment of needs,rather than the democratic choosing system.Thus,Heller proposes the conception of “basic needs revolution”.She asserts creating equal chance for different needs and needs system,which relays on the appearance and contentment of radical needs.Along Max's left wing radicalism,Heller initially repose the appearance and contentment of radical needs in social criticism which is based on the attachment and guidance of society and in realizing the Utopia dream.As is summerized in Aggerni,Heller: moralist in the whirlpool of history,the key point for the understanding of Heller's Needs Theory is the overall revolution concept,which is mentioned in the Daily Life.For her,overall revolution is the complete change of Daily Life rather than toppling the political system and productive relations.In her opinion,all cultures are the products of needs and daily life,which is different from Max taking the understanding and usage of needs as a ontological issue(Max holds that needs is a concept that bears values of anthropology.Taking it as a premise,Max is able to comment on needs alienation of capitalism.)Heller emphasizes the sociality and historicality of needs.Heller tends to regard needs as a historical,philosophical and anthropological value,which is different from the national economists taking it as a value concept only.She believes that nowadays the contentment of needs is a critical issue,so she explains Max's concept of needs from the anthropological perspective.At the same time,Heller's Needs Theory has obvious political directivity,which is to oppose”the dictatorship on needs”that exists in the present socialism and capitalism.So,we can see that Heller associate people's overcome of cultural crisis in the 20 th century with the contentment of needs and the realization of the humanity of the daily life.And we can say that Heller's Needs Theory is to explore how to overcome modern crisis in its nature.From the theoretical perspective of modernism,Heller try to illustrates history in fragment,and reinforce a micro illustrating method of diversified values.In terms of theoretical mode,Heller's needs theory put a great influence on her latter theories.In terms of theoretical content,her latter theory is a development of the needs theory,because needs theory includes historical philosophy,ethics and micro politics.It will surely develop from modernism to post-modernism.To some extent,her needs theory is the cradle for her latter theories.Her experience of massacre made her think about modern issues in an unique way,so Heller's needs theory gives us a firm belief in truth,kindness and beauty,a pursue of free personality and a soul calling for moral and responsible.