ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the notion of a consensual minimum standard of living is elucidated in the context of the measurement of poverty. It describes the basic results are presented about how many respondents perceive which items as necessities. The chapter looks at the relation between individual possessions and perceptions of necessity and considers whether different groups and categories have different views about necessities. It also looks at the relationships between perceptions of necessity of different items and explains about the total number of items classed as necessities. The chapter explores the changes over time in individual perceptions of necessity and also describes the question: is there a consensus among the Belgian population about the minimum standard of living. If persons with a high standard of living regarded many more items as necessities than those with a low living standard, it would be more difficult to speak of a consensus about the needs of present-day living.
