Prime Force - Human Motivation

Motivations. The driving force behind action in human society is motivation. This is a fairly elementary concept. People do not act unless there is some reason to act. The reason could be as simple as the need to eat or as complex as the desire to help a complete stranger who is the victim of a disaster on the other side of the world by donating money or goods. These common motivations, when looked at collectively, form the prime force behind all mass human action.

Types of Motivation. For the purposes of this model there are three types of motivation that drive governmental choice; needs, concerns, and desires. Simply stated, needs are those things humans “require”. The concept as used here is nearly identical with the concept outlined by Maslow in his hierarchy of needs with three alterations for this model.[i] The first is simple terminology: they are a progression of needs rather than a hierarchy. The term better describes the intent for the purposes of this model. Second, progression is more pliable based on the values of the society. For instance a communal society my cling to certain social needs like sacrificing personal gain for the good of the group longer than a society whose values are based on more individual responsibilities. Third, progression from survival to self-expression to esteem needs reflects the cumulative or progressive nature of the needs better than hierarchy.

The second type of motivation is concerns. Like needs, concerns are progressive however concerns represent the altruistic side of human motivation. Once a certain level of need is fulfilled to the point that the society takes their fulfillment as a fact of life, they will feel compelled to help other entities less fortunate then themselves. This compulsion is usually based on an ethical argument, that to not do so would be morally repugnant. Concerns apply to living entities and progress from those most like us (humans), then to other sentient beings (like monkeys, dogs and cats), then to any other animal life, then to plant life and finally to any life. The most obvious governmental manifestation of this pattern can be seen in the outlawing of slavery and laws that prohibit abuse of animals.

Finally, there are desires. Unlike needs and concerns desires are not progressive. Desires are universal but may manifest themselves differently at different times. There are five desires that can affect governmental actions: consistency, justice, competition, pleasure and spirituality. Simply stated, consistency is our desire to have predictability and is one of the basic reasons for our complex legal systems. The second reason for the complex legal system is the desire for justice. At this level, it is more of an eye-for-an-eye type of concept. Competition is the desire to have more than or be “better” then others. Pleasure or hedonistic desires represent the desire to enjoy life rather than simply exist and can be seem in decorations on simple utilitarian objects like bowls to masterpieces of sculpture, music or film. The most powerful desire affecting governmental choice is spirituality. It can be seen in all things religious including theocracies and it is the drive to connect with that the group finds holy.


[i] Maslow, A. H. (1943). "A Theory of Human Motivation." Psychological Review Vol. 50: 370-396.