Probe Marx' Theory Of Needs

Marx advanced the needs to philosophical category, he understood the need from the perspective of practice and always adhered to the methodological principle of practice.In the introduction, This paper introduced the shaping process of the theory. In chapter one, I introduced the concept of needs dealt mainly with the content of needs and such basic characteristics as sociality and historicity and diversity and dynamicity. In chapter two, I analysed the structure of needs and its trend of development. From the horizontal analysis, Marx divided the needs into natural need, community need and spiritual need; From the longitudinal view, Marx divided the needs into survival need, enjoy and development need. Generally speaking, the needs of human being maintain an upward trend of development. In chapter three, Marx gave an explanation bout the relationship between the needs and the nature of human being. The main point about the essence of human being is like this: labor is the essence of human being, and social relations and need are the nature too. This view interpreted the nature of the exposition from three different perspectives, in essence, the three are united. In chapter four, he explored the function of need, the need is intimately close to practice, the need is the inner elements and internal driving force of practice, practice determine the development of need. Needs play important role during development of society, it is inherent basis of productivity and it is one of the determining factors of the relations of production. Meanwhile, the needs is the logical starting point of historical materialism. In conclusion, I explain the significance of Marx' theory of needs.