From the preliminary literature available the researcher will assume for purposes of this exploration that the economy can influence ones ability to create personal wealth but may also limit one's personal wealth opportunities. The exact influence of the economy on personal wealth results from multiple factors including cultural, sociological, philosophical and historical ones. An interdisciplinary investigation of each of these factors is provided below.

The issue of the economies influence on personal wealth will be addressed by reviewing the literature in the disciplines of history, philosophy, business, sociology and psychology. There is ample evidence suggesting that the influence of the

Sociological and Psychological Relevance Economy Personal Wealth

A countries personal philosophy toward economy may also influence personal wealth. This is evident for example in China's history, where the government moved away from a "centrally planned economy" starting in the late 1980s (Ikels, 1996:3). This move was among other things an attempt to help control inflation and to allow Chinese government officials to better dictate the exact mechanisms that would decide how the economy developed, including how often foreigners were allowed to invest in the country (Ikels, 1996:2). This ultimately resulted in less personal wealth for newcomers and foreigners who were subject to more limited contracts, rules and regulations (Ikels, 1996:2). In this case a new economy emerged, one more resembling a "socialist market economy" that helped promote more ownership resulting from production, suggesting that state enterprises create more wealth than individuals, thus potentially reducing personal wealth (Ikels, 1996:3).

economy on personal wealth varies depending on ones outlook, or whether one views the economy from a historical, philosophical, cultural or other viewpoint (Husted, 1999: 339). To help more clearly analyze the influence the economy has on personal wealth, a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the literature on this subject is necessary and will be provided by the researcher.

There is no doubt that the economy influences personal wealth or the ability of individuals to create wealth and the manner in which wealth is distributed among populations. From the literature available one may conclude that the economy influences personal wealth generally in a positive manner when the economy is flourishing (Kiester & Moller, 2000; Oliver & Shapiro, 1990; Angle, 1986; Ikels, 1996). However, with economic prosperity also comes the greater likelihood that inequalities of distribution of personal wealth will be realized within given societies (Husted, 1999; Ikels, 1996). With economic prosperity corruption is more likely to occur, perhaps the result of cultural values expressed within a society or perhaps the result of government influence on how easily wealth can be distributed (Ikels, 1996; Husted, 1999; Keister & Moller, 2000; Kuttner, 2003).

Ikels (1996) goes on to suggest that government and state influence over the way an economy is managed may influence opportunities for personal wealth. That is the more open market an economy is the more opportunities exist for foreigners and individuals to create wealth within a given society.

There is adequate evidence from the majority of resources reviewed suggesting that historical, philosophical, sociological, psychological and business interpretations of the economies influence on wealth tend to align with one another. Each of these disciplinary approaches suggests that when technology is enhanced and when the economy is flourishing, more opportunities exist for creating personal wealth. Each of these disciplines also however confirms that financial disparities or inequalities in wealth distribution are more likely to occur when the economy is flourishing. Interestingly historical and philosophical approaches tend to suggest that wealt

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