ipl-logo

Critique Of Carnegie's Views On Wealth

599 Words3 Pages

1.Carnegie writes that a competition between the rich and the poor is not only beneficial, but necessary for future progress of the human race. He views the system as an inevitable path that leads to wealth being achieved by few people. The millionaire is supposed to become the trustee for the working poor. The rich are trusted to administer wealth for the community better than it could have been done by the common person.

2. Carnegie’ plan puts the majority of the power in the hands of the wealthy. Carnegie does support ideals of social darwinism, but he also believes that the rich will properly administer wealth in a way that benefits all citizens. His plan is calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community-the man …show more content…

Carnegie’s proposal supports the insurmountable gap between the rich and poor. He supports the idea of the few wealthy individuals making decisions for the larger population. The working class wouldn’t be able to trust the wealthy to make choices with their best interest at heart. It could also be argued that this proposal goes against the entire concept of the American Dream. There wouldn’t be equal opportunities for all citizens, just for a select few.

II. On the Standard Oil Company

1. Ida Tarbell called the Standard Oil Company an octopus because the company controlled every aspect of oil production and tried to prevent rival companies from competing. Similar to an octopus with eight tentacles, it seemed that Standard Oil was constantly wrapping around other companies in the form of destruction. In short, the oil company had turned into a manipulative monopoly.

2. Along with criticizing his business, Tarbell brings Rockefeller’s personality into the equation. Tarbell points out that Rockefeller is only in the business for the money, and he will bully others in order to make his way to the top. In Tarbell’s opinion, Rockefeller has made his fortune by dealing sly tricks and special privileges. She also claims that the nation has become too focused on commercialization and boasting about

Show More
Related
105 Words | 1 Pages

According to Andrew Carnegie, men of wealth should have to provide for the less fortunate and should set a good example. The men have to provide all the necessities for his family. Also the men of wealth had to give back to the community.

Read More
379 Words | 2 Pages

By Carnegie being reorganized into these traits is known as a hero. To be known as a hero, the person must have some type of courage, or confidence. Carnegie falls into the category of having courage, in (Doc B) states “ leaving wealth at death for public use…” Giving back to the place he grew up it takes courage, not that many people would of done half of

Read More
476 Words | 2 Pages

Andrew Carnegie and Samuel Gomper have different takes when it comes to the role that wealthy people should have in society. The two authors have opposed feelings toward the poor people being in the state of condition that they are in. Although their views are different what they are proposing in both documents can help the poor people. Carnegie’s The Gospel of Wealth focus more on what the wealthy people should do with their wealth to benefit the society.

Read More
1093 Words | 5 Pages

Part of a captain of industries duty were to make sure that whatever he does whether it is “trust funds in which he administered”, it would have to benefit the community (DOC 2). Andrew Carnegie believed in Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is the belief of the “survival of the fittest.” You are rich because God is rewarding and you are poor because you aren’t working hard

Read More
1016 Words | 5 Pages

In this composition, he addressed that the three ways for wealth to be distributed are give it to the family, use it for public service, or to administer it throughout the life of the possessor. (Wealth and Its Uses 31) He later goes on to explain that, “The only mode of producing lasting good by giving large sums of money is from the millionaire to give as close attention to its distribution during his life as he did to its acquisition” (Wealth and Its Uses 31). From all the uses that he listed, it is clear that he believed most strongly in giving large sums of money for the people. Carnegie used dedication and strategical thinking to build a fortune and use it to help others.

Read More
1191 Words | 5 Pages

Carnegie could have discussed the reservations the poor had about the ability of some to become rich through industrialization and how they felt about his Gospel of Wealth. Did the poor really want money from the rich, who had control of many forces throughout the nation? Carnegie fails to provide a bias opinion on the divide between the rich and the poor because he is no longer poor. He expresses the faults in the wealthy hoarding their money for themselves, but continues to believe the wealthy should exist. The classifications of rich and poor also goes against Carnegie’s belief that the American society was changing into something new, when in reality they were adopting some of the old colonial ways like

Read More
166 Words | 1 Pages

Carnegie thinks it is better to build public institutions than give charity to the poor because the poor need to have the “desire to improve” and find help in these public institutions. (Carnegie 30). He believes that rather wealthy “Men who continue hoarding great sums all their lives” can find the proper use for their money, which is to help the community. (Carnegie 29). By just giving money to the poor the wealthy are doing all their work and instead the poor should find the assistance they need to improve their lives.

Read More
854 Words | 4 Pages

Document 4 states that all wealthy men have given enough importance to the middle class, that they even have established jobs for them. Well I say that Andrew Carnegie believed in social Darwinism and therefore would not do anything to justify his richness and to help the less privileged. His steel production may have opened up new job opportunities but the jobs were a living hell and so I say that the working conditions for workers in the U.S. were horrible and Andrew Carnegie only supported himself and wanted to look good so he offered jobs in his factory, which were bad.

Read More
1359 Words | 6 Pages

Firstly, it is clear in Document 3 that Carnegie was extremely preoccupied with the acquisition of wealth. His claim that he would “get out of” a business that only drew up financial statements once a year stands out in particular. It is hard to imagine that this preoccupation would not influence his life in other ways. For example, Carnegie, like many people during his time, believed that Darwin’s idea of “survival of the fittest” was not only applicable to humans, but also the ideal state of society. In Document 2, he justifies the economic inequality he knew existed by stating that at least it was, “better... than universal squalor.”

Read More
605 Words | 3 Pages

Underpinnings and Effectiveness of Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” In Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth”, Carnegie proposed a system of which he thought was best to dispose of “surplus wealth” through progress of the nation. Carnegie wanted to create opportunities for people “lift themselves up” rather than directly give money to these people. This was because he considered that giving money to these people would be “improper spending”.

Read More
1015 Words | 5 Pages

Carnegie states in his review, “Wealth”, “--the man of wealth thus becoming the mere agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves,” (Carnegie, Doc. 4). Carnegie believes that those who are wealthy should use himself to help the community, but deserves those votes in return. They can build a loyal voter following, especially among immigrant groups, by performing such favors as providing jobs or housing. However, in the end, the political machines want loyalty at the voting polls.

Read More
691 Words | 3 Pages

Social Darwinism explained the reasoning for success and failure amongst social classes. William Graham Sumner stated, “It is impossible that the man with capital and the man without capital should be equal” (pg. 39). Andrew Carnegie was in favor of building institutions rather than giving charity to the poor because it benefited people who wanted to help themselves. Public education would uplift the entire community. He believed that wealthy individuals would contribute to the economy instead of being

Read More
480 Words | 2 Pages

1. Paraphrase: The narrator, Dr. Yu Tsun, recounts that his plan was undeniably risky and that he is a weakling. Yet, his intention was not to fight for Germany, since he describes it as a barbaric country. Instead, removing the Leader’s racial disdain for Tsun’s race, is the main reason. After collecting his thoughts, the narrator transitions back to his storytelling, explaining that he made a quick escape with a cab instead of a train.

Read More
835 Words | 4 Pages

He believed that if the wealthy don't give back some of their profits to the community, they are living a dishonorable life, and although I didn't necessarily agree with this radical viewpoint at first, I now am a firm believer in Carnegie's argument about wealth.

Read More
262 Words | 2 Pages

The Witch grabbed Dorothy and this time there was no escape, the witch made her way to the window when suddenly I jolted forward. “STOP, just take the shoes and let her go. She has done nothing to you.” Something had come across me, was I now caring for this girl? Dorothy screaming the witch took the shoes and threw her to the side.

Read More

More about Critique Of Carnegie's Views On Wealth

Related Topics

Open Document