1. The "need" issue

In industrial democracies, every individual must respect others and legitimately expects to be respected by others. This principle of equality, and even fraternity, enshrined in the very principles of our constitution, has taken on an unexpected dimension in urban societies. This can be seen in the growing importance of consumer organizations (cf. [AG 2 100] ) and defense committees of all kinds.

Products must meet the needs of users, but they must also satisfy the sometimes conflicting needs of those involved in their production or use. With the advent of ecology,...