Recently, both academic researchers and government have become more interes
ted in self-employment. One reason for this renewed interest is the view th
at self-employment and entrepreneurship is something very important for the
well-being of an economy. This article surveys some of the empirical resul
ts regarding self-employment. The emphasis is on the relationship between p
ersonal wealth and the decision to become self-employed. The results of thi
s research indicate that wealthier individuals have a higher probability of
becoming self-employed. The interpretation is that some individuals are hi
ndered from becoming self-employed due to liquidity constraints.