Sumner’s stance on inequality differs from that of Andrew Carnegie, who believed it was the responsibility of the rich to distribute their excess wealth for the good of society. ... In addition, Carnegie believed that inequality was an inevitable byproduct of social evolution beyond human control .
How did Carnegie think that inequality in American society should be addressed?
As part of his justification for accumulating a large fortune, Carnegie also advocated that wealthy individuals should give away their money during their lifetimes in order to benefit society . on the other, public and private institutions would educationally empower the masses.
What did Carnegie Think of the inequality of wealth in industrial America?
He made his money in the steel industry and became a tycoon of industry. ... But Carnegie also was a progressive in that he believed the wealth inequality was a problem that he, as a rich man, had a duty to try and solve (likely because he grew up poor) .
What did Carnegie Think of the inequality of wealth in industrial America what were the wealthy supposed to do in this inequality of wealth and what role did Andrew Carnegie envision for the poor?
Carnegie, a steel magnate, argued that very wealthy men like him had a responsibility to use their wealth for the greater good of society . He reasoned that rich men were the smartest and most organized in a society, so they would be best suited to administer their own wealth.
What would Carnegie say about the great inequalities of wealth in this country today?
The greatest problem we face today is the proper administration of wealth, so that the rich and poor can live harmoniously . ... Inequality is better than universal squalor, because without wealth there can be no patrons or philanthropists.
How did Carnegie become wealthy?
While working for the railroad, he invested in various ventures, including iron and oil companies , and made his first fortune by the time he was in his early 30s. In the early 1870s, he entered the steel business, and over the next two decades became a dominant force in the industry.
How did Carnegie feel about poverty?
Carnegie did not want to just give money to the poor as a means of redistributing wealth. ... He opposed governmental forced redistribution of wealth. He felt that the wealthy were better able to make good decisions about the redistribution than the government .
How according to Carnegie should the rich live?
A rich person’s moral duty, in Carnegie’s view, is thus to live modestly , provide moderately for his dependants, and administer all surplus wealth in the manner which produces the most beneficial results for the community.
What did Carnegie mean by the problem of the rich and the poor?
In each case Carnegie is referring to the accumulation and unequal distribution of wealth , which have “revolutionized” human life for the good (“highly beneficial”). In the above paragraph, he goes further by saying this unequal distribution of wealth and the benefits it bestows are a “law of civilization.”
Who does Carnegie argue money should be given to?
After retiring in 1901 at the age of 66 as the world’s richest man, Andrew Carnegie wanted to become a philanthropist , a person who gives money to good causes. He believed in the “Gospel of Wealth,” which meant that wealthy people were morally obligated to give their money back to others in society.
What does Carnegie say about communism?
Even the most strenuous advocate of Communism must entertain a doubt upon this subject . Most of those who think will probably entertain no doubt whatever. Poor and restricted are our opportunities in this life; narrow our horizon; our best work most imperfect; but rich men should be thankful for one inestimable boon.
Did Carnegie fire Frick?
Unlike his partner, Frick had unambiguous views of capital’s relationship to labor. When Frick assumed contract negotiations at the Homestead mill in 1892, he was determined to rid the company of its most troublesome union. ... On December 5, 1899 , Frick resigned from the board of Carnegie Steel.
Is the Carnegie family still wealthy?
It was the height of the Gilded Age in 1889, and Andrew Carnegie, a pioneer in the steel industry, laid out why he would be donating the bulk of his wealth – an estimated $350 million (worth about $4.8 billion today). ... That’s the reason the Carnegie clan isn ‘t on the new Forbes list of America’s Richest Families .
What did Carnegie do that was bad?
Andrew Carnegie, the most contradictory of the robber barons: he supported workers’ rights, but destroyed unions ; and when he acquired the largest fortune in US history, he tried to give it away. Andrew is born in Scotland in 1835. After steam power makes his textile worker father redundant, the family emigrate.
What did Andrew Carnegie say about charity?
In 1889, he wrote The Gospel of Wealth
Was Carnegie a good man?
“ He was a very generous man ,” says one man walking down the main shopping street, which, like many in Scotland has its fair share of empty shops. “He also helped to develop the Dunfermline area and had a focus on children and education.”
