The aim of this study is to analyse whether or not people are in
consensus on what the necessities of life are in Finland. Consensus is
analysed through two criteria: a public oriented view on the necessities
and agreement between individuals. The study utilises a Finnish postal
survey
from 2015 where people were asked about the necessity of 23 items. The
results suggest that individual views are shaped by personal
circumstances and a fully public-oriented view cannot be established.
Further, the respondents did not seem to agree on what are necessities.
This implies that
the minimum living standard could not be established consensually.