The worldwide gap between rich and poor is widening. Status seeking and status keeping are fueled by the conspicuous consumption of luxury goods. These bright shiny objects are staples in a restricted economy in which only the wealthy participate. The notion of gaining riches for the purpose of helping the poor is fading. Materialism, luxury and riches have been the subject of religious and secular inquiry. In this quest, wealth has been condemned and applauded. Prestige-obsessed consumers are becoming blind to worsening social conditions.

This thesis explores the forces driving a series of momentous transformations to Indonesia�s production and distribution systems since early colonial rule. The analysis of these forces is anchored in four conceptual themes: the basis of these systemic transformations, their politico-economic ordering as driven by a surplus-creation imperative, labour�s role in this imperative and its response to the �ordering�, and the mode of production as the historical setting within which the transformations occur. This thesis illuminates an analytical gap in the literature by nominating labour as the key force in wealth-creation and recognising its active role in challenging ruling appropriation regimes and in the broader social struggles against exploitation and oppression. The thematic focus defines the boundaries for an exploration of successive colonial and post-colonial ruling regimes. Early chapters examine how the Dutch penetrated the Indonesian politico-economy, entrenching their systems of production organisation and creating an exclusionary system of wealth appropriation. Appropriation systems are characterised by transitions in European political and economic systems, especially from mercantilism to industrial capitalism. The entrenchment of colonial power is considered in relation to the expansion of capitalist organisation in Indonesia. The state�s stimulation of this expansion is associated with an undermining of the country�s reproductive base and a growing challenge to foreign rule. The Japanese occupying force� demolition of colonial productive and distributive linkages and encouragement of independence activism is connected with a post-war struggle for independence. Links are drawn between colonial rule and the tensions and organisational difficulties faced by Republican regimes leading up to the New Order�s re-establishment of a strict regulatory regime, and the development of an indigenous system of capitalist organisation. The surplus-generation and appropriation perspective informs the evolution of Indonesia�s productive and economic systems across colonial and post-colonial epochs and the challenges to the system of social and production regulation that heralded the destabilisation of New Order rule and the rise of the contemporary era of political democracy.

The distribution of economic wellbeing is generally regarded as one of the key performance indicators of a society and economic wellbeing is strongly influenced by income, wealth and consumption. Despite this, almost all studies of inequality in Australia have relied upon income as the sole measure of economic wellbeing, due in large part to the ready availability of income data. This thesis attempts to redress that deficiency. This thesis provides an insight into an under-researched but vitally important topic � the distribution of wealth. Specifically the research has three goals. The first is to provide estimates of the level and distribution of wealth in Australia at the current time and the trends over the past decade or two. The second aim is to provide projections of the future wealth distribution. The final goal is to see if there are significant differences between the distribution of lifetime wealth and the annual cross-sectional distribution of wealth. The research uses a technique not previously used in Australia to estimate wealth in the future � dynamic microsimulation. The microsimulation model used is based on a starting sample of 150,000 individuals and this large number allows a large range of experiences to be modelled, while not having the high costs, years of commitment and other problems associated with undertaking panel studies. This thesis estimates that the average levels of wealth will increase significantly over the 40-year period from 2000 to 2040 but that wealth inequality will increase over the same period. The reasons for the increases in wealth inequality appear to be due to changes in asset ownership, particularly lower levels of home ownership; the ageing population; and increases in inequality within age cohorts. The research found that lifetime wealth inequality for a sub-group of Generation X differed from the distribution based on annual data. The lifetime wealth inequality was significantly less than the annual wealth inequality.

Ecological goods and services (EG&S) represent the benefits that humans derive from ecosystem functions. The private wealth implications of on-farm EG&S practices that promote wildlife habitat are determined for the Lower Souris River Watershed in South-eastern Saskatchewan. Monte Carlo simulation is used, coupled with NPV analysis, to examine the impacts of practices at a representative farm level. Linear programming is utilized to determine the farm wealth implications of imposing landscape targets across selected parts of the study area. In both models, implementing an EG&S policy or practice comes with costs to farm wealth. Potential exceptions include converting cropland to tame pasture, and EG&S enhancing herd management practices. However, without policy intervention there is continued conversion of native prairie, perennial forage, and lotic riparian landscapes to cropland. Imposing landscape targets preserves these landscape uses, but with a loss in private economic value ranging from $3,196 to $7,179 per quarter section. / Agricultural and Resource Economics

This study examines the short-term shareholder wealth effects to U.S. bank mergers and acquisitions (M&As) that were announced and completed between 1989 and 2004. Using various event windows, the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) to target firms are positive, bidder firm abnormal returns are negative, and the combined CARs are positive. This result is consistent with the synergy and hubris hypothesis wherein bank M&As are wealth-creating events as synergies exist; however, bidders may overpay to realize these gains. <p>The M&As are examined by the method with which they are financed, namely, cash, or a combination of cash, stock, and/or debt, versus stock only. The target, bidder and combined mean CARs for M&As that are financed by a cash or combination payment are higher than those that are financed by stock for the full sample period and the 1999 2003 sub-sample period. Furthermore, the results indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between the bidder and combined CARs and cash or combination payments. <p>Further evidence presented suggests a positive and statistically significant relationship between the target CARs and whether the M&A is geographically focusing (intrastate), with no corresponding relationship existing for the bidder and combined firms. Results, however, do indicate that the mean combined CARs are higher for intrastate compared to interstate M&As. In addition, the target, bidder and combined CARs are driven in part by the relative size of the merger parties.

Luke 8:1-3 is the only explicit indicator in scripture that Jesus receives financial provision during his ministry. Interestingly, the donors are wealthy women. From a social historical perspective who are these women who travel with Jesus and the Twelve? Is it possible for women in first century Palestine to have finances at their disposal? What is the significance of Luke recording that women provide for Jesus out of their own means and how does this square with Luke's understanding of discipleship as a call to leave everything? The thesis at hand explores the answers to these questions using a social historical and narrative critical approach in an attempt to recognize the implications and significance of the pericope for the women in 8:2-3, Jesus and his ministry,and Luke and his audience. In summary, it finds that the actions of the women as traveling companions of a rabbi and financial providers, but not patrons, reflect a radical departure from the religious, social, and political norms of early first century society. They play a significant role both historically and within the narrative as committed disciples who remain with Jesus throughout his ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem and as witnesses to the crucifixion, entombment, and resurrection.

This study examines the short-term shareholder wealth effects to U.S. bank mergers and acquisitions (M&As) that were announced and completed between 1989 and 2004. Using various event windows, the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) to target firms are positive, bidder firm abnormal returns are negative, and the combined CARs are positive. This result is consistent with the synergy and hubris hypothesis wherein bank M&As are wealth-creating events as synergies exist; however, bidders may overpay to realize these gains. <p>The M&As are examined by the method with which they are financed, namely, cash, or a combination of cash, stock, and/or debt, versus stock only. The target, bidder and combined mean CARs for M&As that are financed by a cash or combination payment are higher than those that are financed by stock for the full sample period and the 1999 2003 sub-sample period. Furthermore, the results indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between the bidder and combined CARs and cash or combination payments. <p>Further evidence presented suggests a positive and statistically significant relationship between the target CARs and whether the M&A is geographically focusing (intrastate), with no corresponding relationship existing for the bidder and combined firms. Results, however, do indicate that the mean combined CARs are higher for intrastate compared to interstate M&As. In addition, the target, bidder and combined CARs are driven in part by the relative size of the merger parties.

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Rapid growth of wealth management industry in Taiwan caused serious business dispute and oversell problem in recent years, and this study shows that wealth management banks only emphasis on how many products they sell and ignore how to help customers to make their financial plans is the key factor according to the analysis of laws and present situation. Besides, this study attributed this kind of phenomenon to over commission-orientation salary structure of financial consultants. After this situation, this study selected balanced scorecard to view the performance indicators of financial consultants work for banks which main business is on wealth management in order to get rid of financial factor only stand. The summary conclusions of this study are as below: 1. Wealth management industry gives priory to commission- orientation salary structure. 2. Banks and financial consultants have different stands in today¡¦s wealth management industry: banks emphasis on financial factor such as fee income and financial consultants pay their attention to customer factor. 3. Financial consultants who more care about their professional abilities have not only more skills to help customers to make financial plan, but have higher motivation to keep customer¡¦s equities. 4. Whether banks close to the customers or not won¡¦t directly affect how financial consultants emphasis on customer factor. 5. Counterproposal: fee income achievement rate, policy selling. 6. Advised performance indicators: AUM, extended AUM, customer asset return rate, moderate CIP

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