▁of ▁the ▁people ." ▁ ▁For ▁impro ving ▁the ▁living ▁conditions ▁of ▁people ▁in ▁Latin ▁America , ▁the ▁following ▁ 3 ▁statements ▁are ▁taken ▁as ▁a ▁starting ▁point : ▁Development ▁is ▁about ▁people ▁and ▁not ▁about ▁things . ▁When ▁it ▁comes ▁to ▁people ▁and ▁not ▁just ▁about ▁things , ▁the ▁gross ▁national ▁product ▁( GN P ) ▁cannot ▁be ▁taken ▁as ▁an ▁indicator . ▁Instead ▁it ▁has ▁to ▁be ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁life ▁( Q OL ). ▁Qu ality ▁of ▁life ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁possibilities ▁people ▁have ▁to ▁ade qu ately ▁satisfy ▁their ▁fundamental ▁human ▁needs . ▁Fund amental ▁human ▁needs ▁are ▁finite , ▁limited ▁in ▁number , ▁and ▁class ifiable . ▁This ▁is ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁traditional ▁idea ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁many ▁human ▁needs , ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁ins ati able . ▁Fund amental ▁human ▁needs ▁are ▁the ▁same ▁in ▁all ▁cult ures ▁and ▁in ▁all ▁historical ▁periods . ▁This ▁is ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁traditional ▁idea ▁that ▁human ▁needs ▁are ▁subject ▁to ▁tr ends ▁and ▁vary ▁to ▁a ▁great ▁extent . ▁ ▁Ne eds ▁and ▁satisf iers ▁ ▁A ▁common ▁short coming ▁in ▁existing ▁literature ▁and ▁discuss ions ▁about ▁human ▁needs ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁fundamental ▁difference ▁between ▁needs ▁and ▁their ▁satisf iers ▁either ▁is ▁not ▁made ▁explicit ▁or ▁is ▁ ▁completely ▁over look ed . ▁It ▁may ▁have ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁the ▁difference ▁between ▁human ▁needs ▁and ▁the ▁conventional ▁notion ▁of ▁economic ▁" w ants " ▁which ▁are ▁infinite ▁and ▁ins ati able . ▁Sat isf iers