WEALTH, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH NATURAL RESOURCES TO SATISFY HUMAN NEEDS AND MANUFACTURED GOODS, CAN BE EITHER MATERIAL OR IMMATERIAL, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE. THE DANGER OF THEFT IN OUR MODERN PROSPEROUS SOCIETIES, HOWEVER, HAS GROWN SO MUCH THAT THE PROTECTION-GADGET BUSINESS AND PERSONAL PROTECTION SERVICES HAVE EMERGED AS NEW INDUSTRIES. SWISS BANKS, PREVIOUSLY THE SYMBOL OF INVULNERABILITY, HAVE BEEN COMPELLED TO TAKE MEASURES TO HALT THE RISING TIDE OF BANK CRIMES. WEALTH, AS A PRODUCT OF THE ORDERED STATE, IS CRITICIZED BY POLITICAL TERRORISTS. WESTERN SOCIETIES ARE PLAGUED BY WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AND FINANCIAL FRAUD ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL MADE POSSIBLE BY DIFFERENCES IN COUNTRIES' LAWS WHICH PRODUCE FINANCIAL REFUGES FOR OFFENDERS. BUT FISCAL FRAUD IS REJECTED AS A MEANS OF REDISTRIBUTING WEALTH BOTH ON MORAL GROUNDS AND BECAUSE OF THE COST TO SOCIETY. IN THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH, ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT SUCCESS TO IMPOSE SPECIAL TAXES ON WEALTH. WHILE PROSPEROUS MIDDLE-CLASS DEMOCRACIES HAVE EVOLVED THAT STRESS EQUALITY, THE IMPORTANCE OF EXTERNALLY VISIBLE POSSESSIONS AND THE ABANDONMENT OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY HAVE BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED, CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASE IN CRIME. THE WORLD IS DIVIDED INTO THE UNDERPRIVILEGED AND THE SECURE; FOR THIS REASON STEALING DESIRED RICHES IS CONSIDERED JUSTIFIED IN CERTAIN CIRCLES, BUT IS CONDEMNED BY SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)