Needs, Persons, Autonomy

The article aims to show that a need-based theory of social justice can give personal autonomy its due relevance while, at the same time, highlighting its embeddedness within a socially and historically defined view of well-being, as shown in the first section of the article. A need-based approach focuses first on the material conditions that must be satisfied to attain freedom of action and agency (section two), and subsequently personal autonomy (sections three to five). These last sections highlight that autonomy can be reached to different degrees in different spheres and at different moments. It also stresses its relational character, which points to the unavoidable mutual dependence that binds members of society.