ABSTRACT
The abolition of legal privileges attached to birth, the development of the mentality of individualism even in the most traditional areas, and the insufficient development of public and private assistance which did not completely replace the role played by the Church prior to 1789 are the causes of the importance which the French attached to wealth in the nineteenth century. In the absence of a better criterion, a hierarchy based on wealth became evident. Until 1914, savers and capitalists alike based their fortunes on complete confidence in the gold franc. A change occurred after the First World War, which signified the beginning of a new era. But before we depict the nature of wealth and affluence, an analysis of the data and a description of the methodology will allow us to define the notion of private wealth. From poverty to affluence, from affluence to wealth, all shades existed.
