Reframing Human Needs in the Context of Negative Societies: From Maslow’s Hierarchy to the Hierarchy of Deprivation

Abstract

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is widely regarded as a classical framework for explaining human motivation, assuming an upward progression from basic physiological needs to self-actualization. However, its explanatory relevance diminishes in contexts characterized by structural inequality, oppression, and chronic deprivation. This study argues that under such conditions, deprivation not only obstructs human development but actively reverses it, resulting in a gradual erosion of psychological and social functioning.

Through a critical reassessment of Maslow’s model, the paper introduces an alternative framework termed the Hierarchy of Deprivation, conceptualized as an inverted pyramid representing a downward human trajectory in oppressive environments. This model comprises five interrelated stages: physiological deficiency, threat to safety and stability, social isolation, despair marked by the denial of dignity and self-worth, and finally existential collapse characterized by psychological disengagement from life. The framework offers a theoretical reorientation of classical needs theory and a practical lens for analyzing the psychosocial consequences of prolonged deprivation.