Andrew Carnegie: My Status As A Robber Baron

Andrew Carnegie was the example of the rags to riches tale to reality during The Gilded Age. Consequently, Carnegie´s view on wealth impacted workers by motivating them towards overcoming the cycle of the laborer, as well as influencing them on how to see success.

Although Carnegie liked to be the tough businessman, he was not a monopolist and did not like monopolists. On the other side of the pool, Rockefeller was dominating the oil industry with no mercy. He believed in primitive savagery in the world of business, where only the fittest survived. He helped coin the term ‘ruin or rule.’ Rockefeller had a great belief in ruthless business, yet Carnegie did not. But in the end both had the most successful companies in their industries.

The Gilded Age after the Civil War caused the American economy to grow drastically during the 1870s. Due to the manufacturing business spreading across the nation, entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie, J.P Morgan and John D. Rockefeller were considered the “captains of industry” who helped grow the economy. But, there were some who believed these entrepreneurs were “robber barons,” as people who worked in the manufacturing business were treated badly, underpaid, and forced to work long hours in dangerous circumstances. Although these so called “captains of industries” may have helped the economy when it needed them the most, they perfectly represented the term given to their era, the Gilded Age, where their monopolies and gold exterior came from their dangerous and “robber baron” factory working.

Besides the people who thought Andrew Carnegie was a captain of industry others thought the opposite. He was a rich robber baron who was a “Robbin’ Hood, who would steal from the working man to give to himself. He gave wealth to the poor was true, but it was not his own money, it was the money from the left over low wages of the workers while keeping his own. People believed that he was a robber baron giving away money that was not really his. This made him a robber baron even though having the captain of industry

Andrew Carnegie should be imprinted in human story as a robber baron due to the ghastly conditions his workers wrought under and the heinous worker-employer relations with his workers. Andrew Carnegie’s horrific worker-employer relations often led to problems between the two. Andrew Carnegie felt no compassion for his workers in the factories. His assistant, under the approval of Andrew Carnegie, surrounded the workers with armed guards and tried to use the Pinkerton guards to forcefully work their way into the factory. He even had the Pinkerton guards forcefully lock the strikers out of the fence surrounding the factory.

Noteworthy. Andrew Carnegie managed to overtake the business world by storm single handedly. During the Gilded Age, were the economy grew and the rich flourished, he managed to develop wealth and prosper from steel. Despite his actions being genius, they were far from heroic. Carnegie should be considered an eminent business man. Andrew Carnegie, although not a heroic figure, is a legend to the business world due to his innovative pioneering, business techniques, and leadership expertise.

More often than not, America’s antebellum capitalists are accused of being the “robber barons” of industrial America. The misconception is that these men took advantage of a naïve and growing economy and reaped its benefits without giving anything in return. True, the majority of America was poor in comparison to the few elites, but the philanthropist efforts and contributions of these men can not be denied. If not for these men and their efforts, there would have been no one to pave the road to America’s industrial domination.

The entrepreneur that best embodies the entrepreneurial spirit in America during the Gilded Age is Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie was the leader of the steel industry during the Gilded Age, officially forming Carnegie Steel Company in 1892. He was a high-risk, high-reward businessman, who calculated his risks and executed them properly; he was prepared to put his entire career on the line to revolutionize the production of steel forever. He continued to think of ways to change the industry throughout his entire career, exemplifying his passion and ambition. On top of this, Carnegie showed great competition among his rivals; most notably with John D. Rockefeller, the owner of the oil monopoly, Standard Oil. Often times, Carnegie would simply

Throughout American industrialization, large industries were run by some of the richest men in history. These men got the nickname “robber barons” due to their creation of large monopolies by making questionable business and government activities, and by taking advantage of their workers to succeed. But in The Myth of the Robber Barons by Burton W. Folsom, he argues against these claims, and he takes a deeper look into some of America’s richest and most successful men. By specifically looking at Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, James J. Hill, the Scranton family and many more, Folsom believed that these so-called robber barons were actually entrepreneurs with a drive to succeed, leading to an improvement in American lives.

Throughout history there have been countless individuals who have come along and helped shape America into the manner it is today. Some of these individuals may have initiated noble contributions that have caused them to receive wonderful praises even after they are long deceased. On the other hand, there are other countless individuals whose contributions were not quite as great and caused extensive permanent unscrupulous effects on society. One of the individuals whose impression might have not been the greatest at one point, but who ultimately did contribute significantly to civilization is Andrew Carnegie.

From 1870 to 1900, the Gilded Age brought about major change in the industry and economy of the United States. Commonly known for the new technologies and inventions of the time, the Gilded Age often brings to mind pictures of booming industries and riches. However, like the term itself, the Gilded Age was much different than it appeared. Widespread poverty and hardships were common in the late 1800s, and many people suffered at the hands of the robber barons. During the Gilded Age, elitists harmed millions through greed, unfair pay, and a dangerous workplace.

Although Andrew Carnegie has some conflicts dealing with his workers’ salary and the condition of his companies, he left a huge impact how American steel industry. During the 1800s, Carnegie adopted the Bessemer process and brought it to America. The Bessemer is a special technique for converting iron into the puer, stoner material we called steel. Within twelve months, Carnegie was able to construct America’s largest steel mill called the J. Edgar Thomson Works. Carnegie’s outstanding effort in the industry made many construction happened, such as the steel rails, the steel bridges, and the steel I-beams. Furthermore, his heroic personality continues as he give back to his country by helping out schools, libraries, and buildings in America.

Who wants to be a millionaire? The answers simple, apparently all of the bright men within the nineteenth century during the attractive booming economy. Whereas, the Gilded Age struck the people after the Civil War and the revolution of the railways brought with it, a spur of industrialization. The markets for manufactured goods were stimulated, more commerce was beckoned with foreign and domestic investors, and even the process of raw materials going to the factories was sped. Although sounding like a luxurious period for all, the main beneficiaries became know as the robber barons as they manipulated the public and business to their needs, established the visible social classes, and used laborers with little discretion for age.

One of the readings that stood out to me the most was on Andrew Carnegie. An idea he believed in was that the rich should give back. I think this is something we deal with today with the 1% vs the 99%. I think it’s very admirable to give away a lot of your fortune to those who could use the help. His idea of giving to those who would use the help to better themselves and reach their full potential through building libraries is a great idea. We’ve all heard the saying “give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime.” Give people the tools to become successful and self satisfied is better than offering them temporary help which will end up putting them back in the same misfortune.

Andrew Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth is an informative essay on philanthropist idealistic notion for the money you have with you. His understanding of the excess money that you has should be given to others for better use. Of the three options Carnegie stated in the Gospel of Wealth I believe that your money should be given to the people while you are living.