richesses

Richesses is a plural form most commonly found in French, where richesse means wealth, abundance, or richness. In English writing, richesses is uncommon; writers usually use riches, wealth, or prosperity. When encountered in English in academic or theoretical contexts, richesses often signals a broader concept of wealth that includes material and non-material assets.

In this broad sense, richesses encompasses several dimensions: material wealth (money, property, financial assets); natural wealth (land, minerals, ecosystems); cultural and intellectual wealth (art, knowledge, education, language, scientific capital); social and relational wealth (institutions, networks, social capital, governance). Some formulations also consider symbolic or spiritual wealth.

Measuring richesses presents methodological challenges because wealth is not just money on a balance sheet. Quantitative indicators include net worth, income, and asset holdings, while qualitative aspects involve access to services, security, rights, culture, and opportunity. Critics argue that focusing solely on monetary wealth obscures inequality and environmental costs; alternative frameworks emphasize human development, well-being, sustainability, and inclusive prosperity.

In philosophy and political economy, the term richesses may appear when discussing the sources and distribution of wealth, or when contrasting a nation's riches with the well-being of its inhabitants. The concept invites a holistic view of what makes societies rich beyond monetary figures.