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the impact of andrew carnegie in the industrial nation at the time
the impact of andrew carnegie in the industrial nation at the time
essay on andrew carnegie a hero
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Andrew Carnegie was one of the richest men in the world. He spent the first several decades of his life dedicated to expanding business and increasing steel production in the United States. He spent the latter part of his life dedicated to his philanthropic endeavors. Carnegie donated money to many organizations and funded the construction of several colleges, libraries, and other public institutions. Andrew Carnegie is a man who started life in less than modest circumstances, but arose to be one of the wealthiest men alive, then continued on doing extensive philanthropic work. Even going as far as giving most of his amassed wealth away, and donating millions of dollars to the possibility of world peace. Andrew Carnegie changed United States …show more content…
He and his family lived in Allegheny, Pennsylvania where young Andrew worked in a factory earning slightly less than $1.25 a week. He worked there until he gained the opportunity to be a telegraph messenger. After working there for close to two years he joined the Pennsylvania railroad as an assistant and telegrapher to Thomas Scott, a top official in the railroad. During this time Carnegie studied under Thomas Scott, learning business and industry. Three years later he was promoted to superintendent. While working as superintendent he invested his money into different stocks and companies, the most substantial investment being in oil. He invested his money into the United States economy and created a steel company in order to better construction and enhance life in the United States.(“Andrew Carnegie” np) After Carnegie sold his steel factory in 1901, he dedicated his life and wealth to giving back to the community and economy. He earned $480 million by selling his company, and he donated most of it until his death. He vigorously donated millions to the creation of libraries and educational institutes around the world. “One of the most tangible examples of Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropy was the founding of 2,509 libraries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of these libraries 1,679 were built in the United States”(“Andrew Carnegie” …show more content…
He did both of these things in order to better efforts towards world peace and provide a greater chance at safety for people of the United States and other great countries. He was not able to overcome the huge obstacle that was the First World War, and he regretted this deeply until his death. Although, he did better efforts against War in the later years, thus continuing his dreams of peace well after his death.(“Andrew Carnegie” np) Carnegie had decided to give away his wealth since well before the end of his life. When he and his wife were married he had her sign a prenuptial agreement to where she agreed to him giving away virtually all of his amassed wealth. Over Carnegie’s lifetime he gave away over $350 million to various charities and institutions. He did all of this out of his own free will and hope that some children may learn just as he did. Andrew Carnegie was a true philanthropist, his ideals were
Even though these men attempted to build a stable foundation for America to grow on, their negative aspects dramatically outweighed the positive. Even though Andrew Carnegie donated his fortunes to charity, he only acquired the money through unjustifiable actions. As these industrialists continued to monopolize companies through illegal actions, plutocracy- government controlled by the wealthy, took control of the Constitution. Sequentially, they used their power to prevent controls by state legislatures. These circumstances effect the way one
Andrew Carnegie, the “King of Steel”, the benevolent employer, the giant of industry, was among the greatest influences of the second industrial revolution. It is sometimes questioned whether Carnegie was the ruthless, sneaky steel tyrant some made him out to be, or the generous, benevolent education benefactor he appeared to be. I believe him to be a combination of both, but more so the great giant of industry.
Andrew Carnegie came over to this country in 1848, with his family in the hopes of finding a better life for themselves. At age 14, Carnegie became a courier in a telegraph office. Later, he became involved with the railroad industry and soon was Superintendent of the railroad in Pittsburgh. By the age of 30 he had an annual income of $50,000. Carnegie then left the Pennsylvania Railroad and started concentrating on steel. He would eventually open the Carnegie Steel Company. He was introduced to a new process called the Bessemer process for his steel. At first Carnegie was not sure of this new process but took a chance and adopted it into his company.
Andrew Carnegie and his philanthropy made him a hero because he helped more people than harm in the long run, by this I mean he helped other countries. He also sets a great example to everyone that helping others or someone is not something you need to wait to do when you are no longer living. If someone needed help and even a stable person had the choice to help but until they are no longer alive has little meaning. Perhaps it would be too late when the person isn’t around anymore. Its about what someone can do to help when they are around, it is about what a person can do in the time of need even if it is not much but a little of anything can go a long way. In (Doc C) there is a list of amounts of money that Carnegie has donated to various places which in total he has donated well over $271m but aside from that his corporation is giving out about $100m a year, most of it to education (Doc C)
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-born industrialist who started with nothing and built his way to the top through years of hard work. In the 1889 article, “Gospel of Wealth,” he advocated the ideas of philanthropy to encourage the rich to promote the welfare of humanity instead of conspicuous consumption. This altruism of allocating funds from the well-off was an idea that could help bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. He concluded with the statement, “the man who dies thus rich dies disgraced” to proclaim that millionaires and billionaires should pass on their wealth to encourage a legacy of giving either by inheritance or charity. I agree with his statement because his message is kind-hearted and humanitarian. Instead of taking millions to the grave, the money should be dispersed to help the community and individuals in our society.
In Harold C. Livesay’s Andrew Carnegie and the rise of Big Business, Andrew Carnegie’s struggles and desires throughout his life are formed into different challenges of being the influential leader of the United States of America. The book also covers the belief of the American Dream in that people can climb up the ladder of society by hard work and the dream of becoming an influential citizen, just as Carnegie did.
Known for his contributions he devotes his earnings to making America a better place for all to live. However, he is very strict on how these contributions should be made. He believes all disruption should be made when the millionaire is alive. That after the millionaires death his contribution does nothing to benefit the society. “The miser millionaire who hoards his wealth does less injury to society than the careless millionaire who squanders his unwisely, even if he does so under cover of the mantle of sacred charity,” (p. 32) In some degree I agree with him. What does it say when contribution is made after someone death? Personally, it says that the cause wasn't important enough and now that the millionaires dead, they try to make it seem like they care and still keep their name on the radar by donating to society. Carnegie saw wealth as something that a person had to work for, and as a constant battle to maintain. Carnegie came from a poor family and worked hard to achieve his wealth.I began to learn what poverty meant," Andrew would later write. "It was burnt into my heart then that my father had to beg for work. And then and there came the resolve that I would cure that when I got to be a man." Also he said that he felt that he was given an opportunity when he was young and felt it was his duty to give others the means to be successful as well. This is important to Carnegie as someone who does come from struggling background; he doesn’t want to see the inequalities that are created in America due to a number of many factors. He wants to see society as a whole
His book, The Gospel of Wealth, preaches that “the millionaire who properly recognizes his own position is merely a "trustee"; he holds his surplus wealth for the benefit of his fellows” ("Andrew Carnegie," Dictionary). Carnegie himself abided by these words, contributing to society in the ways that he believed would most benefit American citizens. At its peak, Carnegie’s net worth was $475 million, which is equivalent to about $310 billion in today’s dollars. However, around the time of his death, Carnegie had only $30 million left to his name, after he put his money towards building trusts, charities, schools, and primarily libraries (Zorn). This philanthropy diverged from the actions of any millionaires of the time. Though some, such as John D. Rockefeller, also took part in philanthropic work, none held such intense concern or addressed societal problems as directly as Carnegie. Instead of simply donating large sums of money to schools or foundations, established his famous trusts and foundations, such as the Carnegie Institution of Washington and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, that to this day benefit students by earning them scholarships and increasing the quality of their education. He also specifically fought to improve African American education, funding
He started with nothing and was able to be very successful. By working hard, he was hired by a railroad company. He was smart and open up a factory to change iron to steel and sell it to every on the market. Carnegie want to be able to own everything to be able to charge less which makes him able to control most of the market. This makes him extremely wealthy and shows people that if they work hard, they can become wealthy. Andrew Carnegie then began to think about his wealth and what he should do with it. He comes to the decision that he should give back to people and use his money for good. Carnegie then writes a book called The Gospel of Wealth. The Gospel of Wealth stated that it is the wealthy’s job to give to the poor to help them survive. It was everyone’s responsibility to help the people that were in need. Individual wealth should be passed to the society or the state rather than their kids and the wealthy should administer it. The rich were the fittest people so it should be their duty to take care of the poor or less fit people.
Steel Company after a serious, bloody union strike.He saw himself as a hero of working people, yet he crushed their unions. The richest man in the world, he railed against privilege. A generous philanthropist, he slashed the wages of the workers who made him rich. By this time, Carnegie was an established, successful millionaire. He was a great philanthropist, donating over $350 million dollars to public causes, opening libraries, money for teachers, and funds to support peace.
ownership participations. This was enough to make them millionaires in their own right. He also gave back by funding over 2,500 libraries throughout America. Carnegie managed to give away 90 percent of his wealth before he died. He was able to make sure that the people around him were happy financially so that they could all work happily and achieve success together.
There have been many wealthy men Throughout American history, many have been the topic of many heated debates among them, Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie at one time was the richest man in the world, who immediately after gaining that title began giving his money away. The impact and size of Carnegie’s philanthropic efforts are undeniable, but why he gave so much has been a topic of debate for nearly a century now. Carnegie’s rags to riches story is the epitome of the American dream and has been an inspiration to many entrepreneurs around the world.
Carnegie did not believe in spending his money on frivolous things, instead he gave most of his fortune back to special projects that helped the public, such as libraries, schools and recreation. Carnegie believes that industries have helped both the rich and the poor. He supports Social Darwinism. The talented and smart businessmen rose to the top. He acknowledges the large gap between the rich and the poor and offers a solution. In Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie, he states, “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” (25). He believes the rich should not spend money foolishly or pass it down to their sons, but they should put it back into society. They should provide supervised opportunities for the poor to improve themselves. The rich man should know “the best means of benefiting the community is to place within its reach the ladders upon which the aspiring can rise- free libraries, parks, and means of recreation, by which men are helped in body and mind” (Carnegie p. 28). Also, Carnegie does not agree they should turn to Communism to redistribute wealth. Individuals should have the right to their earnings. Corporations should be allowed to act as it please with little to no government
Andrew Carnegie did not seem to care for others because while his workers were losing money, Carnegie was donating money to other countries, and even different organizations. Most of Andrew Carnegie's actions showed greed and pride. Carnegie might have been a hero by giving away most of his money. He still died rich, as he said before “He who dies, rich dies disgraced” Don't be fooled by what others tell you, t ould always be sugarcoated. Not everything we see or hear is true. Carnegie treated most people wrongfully. While he was playing all fun and games, donating to others. Carnegie might have been a hero in the eyes of others, but not everyone sees him the same wa. Don't be
...ve up the fortunes they have built themselves. It is an admirable idea to give your money to help promote a thriving community. Carnegie states that he is against charity and believes that those in need should be taught how to improve their own lives. To fund these institutes and corporations a form of charity must be given. Wealthy citizens give their excess money to a few to disperse of in a way they see fit to help the race. Most Americans are not willing to give up such a large sum of money as noble and respectable of an idea as it is. I think that Carnegie’s plan, in theory, would work and would be best for the race. I do not think it is practical because most would rather spoil their own family with inheritance than give it away to help people unknown to them. Carnegie’s idea of fair is equal opportunities for everyone to help themselves and the race.