Preview

Compare and Contrast between Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
555 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Compare and Contrast between Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger
During the late nineteenth century rapid industrialization paved the way for extreme economical wealth of many business. In accordance with the overflowing wealth in the nineteenth century many individuals held similar but yet contrasting views toward the wealth that was created in the United States. Among these individuals were Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger.

One of the best-known philanthropists was the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who devoted the latter part of his life to giving away most of the huge fortune he had amassed in the steel industry. Following the principles laid down in his essay "Gospel of Wealth" , Carnegie returned over $300 million to society, primarily through foundations and trusts. Debs believed that wealth is predestined and that god gave him his wealth. Although different in ideas Carnegie perform what Eugene V. Debs believed in: the distribution of wealth.

Eugene Debs began working on the railroads at age 14, and in 1893, at age 38, he founded the American Railway Union. The union dissolved after a violent strike in 1894. Debs served a six-month jail sentence for his participation in the strike and turned to radical politics soon after being released. Despite persecution for his political beliefs, Debs ran as the Socialist candidate for president five times. He collected 6 percent of the vote in 1912. The socialist doctrine demands state ownership and control of the fundamental means of production and distribution of wealth, to be achieved by reconstruction of the existing capitalist or other political system of a country through peaceful, democratic, and parliamentary means. The doctrine specifically advocates nationalization of natural resources, basic industries, banking and credit facilities, and public utilities. It places special emphasis on the nationalization of monopolized branches of industry and trade, viewing monopolies as inimical to the public welfare. Debs attitudes toward the wealth

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the era following the Civil War, Industrialization had many leaders. These leaders achieved the great feat of booming the growth of the economy and industry of the United States and its citizens to become the leading industrial power in the world. As historians have reviewed their great achievements historians have become critics questioning how honest the fortunes of these leaders were. They pondered the tactics of great leaders such as John D. Rockefeller, J. Pierpont Morgan, and Andrew Carnegie. The morals of these businessmen and their strategies were the leading topic of discussion, whether to classify them as "robber barons" or "industrial statesmen".…

    • 1038 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland in 1835. He moved with his family to Allegheny, Pennsylvania at age thirteen and began his career as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory. He then got a job as a Western Union messenger boy, then telegraph operator, and a series of more positions leading to become the superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad on the Western side (Halsall). From there, he began a company that manufactured sleeping railway cars. He expanded his businesses to also create cars, bridges, and rails. In 1865 he began his first official company, the Keystone Bridge Company. Then in 1873 he started up his steel works. Carnegie believed in partnerships in order for a successful business, not one head with many workers (Carnegie). He hired many young workers to help organize his steel company and it prospered. When he sold it to J.P. Morgan, the company was worth over four-hundred million dollars in the year 1901 (Dukcevich). Carnegie was also a positive philanthropist. He gave his money to projects that would benefit the social scene. More popularly, he funded libraries. It is believed that he funded nearly 3,000 libraries. “To resolve what might seem to be contradictions between the creation of wealth, which he saw as proceeding from immutable social laws, and social provision he came up with the notion of the ‘Gospel of Wealth.’” In 1889 Carnegie published this book. In it he discussed the moral obligations of the rich, arguing…

    • 1343 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was one of the most famous American philanthropists and industrialists (Encarta). He was a Scottish immigrant who had worked his way up from "rags to riches" in the railroad and steel industry. And by 1901, he was one of the richest men in the World and one of the few men who actually achieved the American ideal of "rags to riches" (Brinkley, Alan, et al 518). He amassed a huge fortune in the steel industry and in 1901 simply quit the business life and lived the rest of his life as a philanthropist. Following the principles laid down in his book, The Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie donated over $300 million back to society, primarily through foundations and trusts. In this book, he believed that "People of wealth should consider all revenues in excess of their own needs as "trust…

    • 1398 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s the United States was changing immensely. There were breakthroughs in technology leading to changes in agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. At the fore front of these developments were men waiting to jump in. With startup money and determination some would go on to amass a personal fortune larger than the U.S. government itself.…

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Andrew Carnegie believes in a system based on principles and responsibility. His attempt to show people a way to reach an accommodation between individualism and fairness. The gospel of wealth is primarily about the dispersion of wealth and the responsibilities of those who have it. Carnegie thinks that inheritance is detrimental to society because it does not do any good for the inheritor or the community. Inheritance promotes laziness and the lack of a good work ethic doesn’t not teach the young sons of wealthy men to make money for themselves or help those in community they live in Carnegie believes that charity is also bad and instead of handouts money should be given to those in a position to help the needy themselves.…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gospel of Wealth: Carnegie’s philosophy that the millionaire had a duty to distribute wealth while still alive.…

    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Apush- Monopolies

    • 968 Words
    • 4 Pages

    America’s industrial growth during the period from 1870 to 1900 was greatly impacted by growth of large corporations that affected the economics and politics of our nation. As corporations began to grow, so did their power and influence. Their numbers grew to be so significant that they were known to be one of the major forces within the United States, with both a great amount of power and the ability to control much within the United States. Their power and influence expanded and impacted the economic and political aspects of our nation. These corporations dominated American business and defined the American culture. The Gilded Age, a term coined by Mark Twain, was used to describe the conditions within the United States during this time. The nation was “lined with gold”, but had many struggles and obstacles that spread through the social, political, and economic aspects of the United States. These big businesses initiated many transformations within the United States and set the foundation for America becoming the world’s greatest industrial nation. In the time period between 1870 and 1900, corporations used their influence and power to control and transform both the economic and political systems of the United States. In response, Americans organized and implemented changes within the society to counteract the detrimental effects of these massive monopolies.…

    • 968 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dbq Essay

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the time of 1875-1900, many capitalists formed the growing of industry in America as highly regarded captains of industry or fraudulent robber barons. The robber barons were industrialists who possessed the majority of wealth in America. This wealth gained was mostly through the expense of others, creating a greater space between the fortunate and the less fortunate ones. Captains of industry were industrialists that did the opposite. They assisted the American growth positively whether it was through the economy or acts of philanthropy which helped to equalize the gap between the rich and poor. Some of the famous capitalists at this time were Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.…

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Industrial Revolution DBQ

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages

    However, this was not the case because much of what the owners of these industries made went straight back out into the community. Andrew Carnegie, probably one of the most philanthropic people of his time, provided the nation with numerous libraries, cultural centers and universities. He even continued his philanthropy by encouraging all other wealthy people to do the same. As displayed in Document E, Carnegie published The Gospel of Wealth, which addressed those who have much wealth, to be charitable with their money and administer it to the community. Others quickly adopted his theory. Vanderbilt and Rockefeller especially contributed as well with many new universities. With the addition of these libraries and universities, knowledge and the chance to improve the nation's industry was more readily available. Also, towns that did not have libraries before had access to them now and they had the ability to enjoy leisure time. This allowed many Americans to greater access to improve literacy as well as to become more educated in other areas. All of these things benefited society by enhancing its educational culture. Even the ballets and operas, that people like Carnegie had founded, added to the newly found culture of the nation. The philanthropy of the Captains of Industry greatly influenced and aided the nation as a…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Carnegie was a Scottish immigrant who built his empire from the ground up, as he was not always rich. Through a lot of smart calculated work, Carnegie managed to have a highly profitable company that monopolized the steel production industry which made him one of the richest Americans of his era. He was a firm believer that the wealthy best knew how to use their riches for the public welfare and he wrote the Gospel of Wealth explaining his thoughts. His basic idea was to not die a rich man for he wanted to spend his extra money to better our society and provide the poor with opportunities for advancement.…

    • 1209 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Andrew Carnegie once said, "No man can become rich without enriching others." The U.S. was between wars, inventions, technology, and also successful movements with one another. As business offered the best chances, certain people became well known, due to what they created. For example, Thomas Edison; who invented the light bulb had become “famous” along with other well known people. The "king of steel," Andrew Carnegie; was a true hero known to mankind.…

    • 592 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The “Gospel of Wealth” was written by Andrew Carnegie during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. He was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States in 1848. Carnegie had very little of a formal education but grew up in a family that believed in the importance of books and learning. Jumping from job to job, he became one of the wealthiest businessman in America. Achieving this by investing and buying stocks in promising ventures like iron mills and factories. Finally founding his own company known as the Carnegie Steel Company and revolutionizing the steel industry, he embodied the American Dream.…

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Industrial Tycoons

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Industrial tycoons of the nineteenth century used whatever they could to get to the top of the economy, by either contributing positively or in some cases even if it meant destroying all the other industries that got in their way. In the nineteenth century, industrial tycoons were known as either a robber baron (Jay Gould) or a Captain of Industry (Henry Ford). Depending on how someone contributed to the growth of businesses, labeled them as one or the other. Some of the contributing factors that played an effect on identifying an industrialist as a robber baron or industry captain are how they came to power of the business industry, how they used their power, and how they gave back to society. These industrial tycoons were some of the wealthiest men in the US.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Andrew Carnegie Essay

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Carnegie had made an enormous impact on society, which he was seen as a heavy risk-taker, but also he knew the consequences of those risks, and a perfect example of a hard working man who made it to being a very rich business owner from being born into a poor family on a farm in Scotland. His biggest risk, which also gave him his fortune, was finding a cheaper way to mass-produce steel. After his risk became a miracle, he was mostly greedy and he became almost like a scrooge, but he was social and happy. No one liked him because of his sense of what is important. He believed that money and his company were more important than his employees and the rest of the country.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1889, Andrew Carnegie wrote one of the greatest documents in history. The Gospel of Wealth describes the new upper class and the phenomenon of wealth inequality. Andrew Carnegie believed capitalism benefited people better than any other economic system and argued that the accumulation of wealth should benefit society not the government. Andrew Carnegie argues that the capitalism system produces fortunes that a single person cannot spend in his or her lifetime and believed that people have the intelligence to know what to do with their money. The Gospel of Wealth claims a difference between deserving and non-deserving poor. People deserve help if they try and failed, but do not deserve help if their situation is from their own bad decisions. The government takes money from the rich in the form of taxes and Carnegie believed the government encouraged the undeserving and discourages the deserving from continuing their efforts. People will not put forth an effort if you just give them money and this is why he suggested help in the way of museums, concert halls, libraries, and universities.…

    • 302 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays