THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN NEEDS

Abstract

In the article the author attempts to explain the mechanism of human development evolution using the concept of differentiating the human needs into the needs of several grades of necessity: ordinary, lower and upper. The author convincingly proves that the change of some stages in the evolution of a human potential is due to the cyclic nature of the economy. During economic crises and depressions the development of demographic, psychological and value components of a human potential becomes most important. When there is a revival in the economy it is important to develop labour and organizational components. During the periods of economic upturn it is the innovative and intellectual component, as well as the professional one, that is of great importance. The author concludes that depending on the level of society development the transformation of human potential as a system is in the dominance of one or the other forms of this potential in the times when the phases of social reproduction change.