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How Was Rockefeller A Captain Of Industry

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A robber baron was a person who became rich through ruthless practices, whereas a captain of industry is a person who led with respect throughout their career. JD Rockefeller was a captain of industry because his donations led to the fundings of vital research investigations. He was a businessman and philanthropist, most importantly, he was known for his invention of the United States Steel Oil Company. By introducing cheaper kerosine and gasoline, he attracted multitudes of people from the working class ready to obtain these more affordable prices. By doing so, Rockefeller’s profits soared, owning three quarters of the oil industry by the 1890’s. Rockefeller was not only head of this company, he also owned mines and had shares in manufacturing …show more content…

Furthermore, his behavior towards these companies who stood in his way was extremely unfair, as he would try to jeopardize them to get ahead, driving away all of his competitors. Contrastingly, he gave away most of his fortune in good ways, donating almost 500 million dollars to help support different organizations. He funded the launching of the field of biomedical research, as well as scientific investigations that resulted in vaccines for diseases like meningitis. He also played a huge part in the creation of the University of Chicago, as well as funding education and the arts throughout the country. Throughout his life he has contributed to the advancement of multiple studies and research, funding more than 500 million dollars to organizations which have improved the lives of so many. On the other hand, he was a very questionable person who played a major role in the downfall of the Steel Oil company of the United States, being found guilty of monopolizing the business which in turn had to be shut down. While he faced criticism with how he accumulated his wealth, JD Rockefeller was a captain of industry, as his charitable efforts made an impact on so …show more content…

On the other hand, he created the Gospel of Wealth, portraying the need to help those less fortunate than him. He established colleges and organizations, funding libraries and establishing schools. Although his factories made it hard to work, I consider him a captain of industry, due to the fact that he, like Rockefeller, donated much of his money to charities and organizations. On the other hand, Cornelius Vanderbilt was a robber baron who continuously treated his workers poorly and tried to buy out his competitors with intimidation. Vanderbilt did launch the first railroad from New York to San Francisco, but his ways of doing so were like the ways of Rockefeller and Carnegie, full of manipulation. He was a ruthless, unsympathetic person, treating his workers extremely unfair. Finally, like Rockefeller, JP Morgan can be considered a captain of industry with his contribution to the American industry. He merged two railroad companies together to create one corporation, making it ideal for people to get places faster in less time. But, he did pay his workers the lowest wages possible and allowed them to work in terrible working

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