Why Was Rockefeller Considered Robber Barons

While there are many robber barons that have existed throughout time, one of the most famously remembered robber baron, during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, was John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller was easily one of the most influential industrialist in his time. Aside from building Standard Oil into America’s largest company, he formed what was arguably the first modern multi-national company. He was innovative with how Standard Oil was structured, leading the U.S. governments changing their corporation codes and passing anti-trust legislation. His company was purposefully named, to assure customers that the oil being purchased was professionally processed to a standard. Rockefeller was born in 1839, in upstate New York,

Rockefeller’s enormous wealth and success began to make him a target of muckraking journalists, reform politicians, and many others, who commonly viewed him as a symbol of corporate greed and opted to criticize his efforts, in which he built his empire. (history.com, 2010) Many of the views towards Rockefeller ranged from him being labeled as a monopolist, to him demonstrating charitable deeds. Nonetheless, Rockefeller played a substantial role in America’s development. Some of these changes included that of alcohol, medicine, and agriculture. In the early 1900’s, oil wasn’t necessarily that common or big, primarily because it was not readily available in many areas. However, this soon changed with the Prohibition Movement and the formation of the Anti-Saloon League– bankrolled by Rockefeller himself. Alcohol soon became prohibited and ended up leading to restrictions, leaving it difficult for alcohol to compete with gasoline. In 1901, Rockefeller established the “Rockefeller Institution for Medical Research.” At the time, America was still largely using homeopathic remedies. Rockefeller

Often times, bigger corporations would make bribes or deals with the government in order to obtain grants, needed to fund their companies. The money they would receive was then put towards investments, purchasing new machinery, and ultimately, increasing their efficiency. With these doings, smaller corporations were being driven out of business. Many Americans believed that larger corporations, such as the railroads, steel industry, and even the oil companies were behaving in unfair and unethical ways. Farmers were required to start paying more money to ship and store their products and workers were enduring longer hours of work with a substantial wage reduction. According to many Americans and a few socialists, “greedy monopolists, in league with unscrupulous politicians, had seized control of the economy and bent it toward their own advantage.” (Keene, Cornell, O’Donnell, pg 494) Big corporations were at fault for using unjust business practices to get control, often at the expense of those most vulnerable to them. Americans became enraged with anger and resentful towards them. Various workers even resorted to joining the Knights of Labor group because they emphasized practical goals. Several disappointed workers started to organize parlous strikes, in attempts to establish