Andrew CARNEGIE

Azeneth Mosqueda
Mr. Webb
US History
16 September 2013

Andrew Carnegie: Robber Baron or Captain of industry?
Andrew Carnegie was both a Robber Baron and a Captain of Industry. Growing up as an immigrant, who started with nothing at all, he became greedy with his money. He was a big business leader who builds up the community but treated his workers poorly. Carnegie created thousands of jobs for people but did not provide his workers with safety equipment and had many of them work in dangerous conditions. He helped out the community in many ways but still treated his workers/people poorly.
Andrew Carnegie did a lot, not only for his community but the world. He was well known as wealth man who gave his all for the better of the community. An immigrant coming from Europe with nothing grew up to be the wealthiest man in the world. Sharing all his riches back with his community, Carnegie built many publics librarieyys, museums, schools and Universities. He also wrote the gospel of wealth in which stated to all the rich men to share their wealth with the community and poor. He provided thousands of people with jobs everywhere. Being a steel company owner he made it cheaper to purchase steel to fuel the development of cites.
Carnegie doesn’t only have his good side; he’s done many things people weren’t happy with. While Carnegie provided thousands with jobs, he cheated people from there money. Carnegie was a greedy man with his money. He paid them low wages, had them working in dangerous conditions without any safety equipment. He didn’t provide them with any kind of breaks, workers and they worked up to 12 hours, six to seven days a week.
Andrew Carnegie was a social Darwinist who believed that only the fittest would survive. While his workers were striking he began making plans with his manager Frick to do his dirty work. He lowered his workers wages and kicked them all out of his mills. The strikes lead to a gun war, killing many workers and the guards protecting the mills. Carnegie basically created a monopoly; he took over every small steel company or his competition.
Carnegie has two sides to himself. He could either be that good guy that helps out the whole community or bad guy who takes everything from everyone giving them less then they deserve. He did a bad thing but repaid the people with good so they wouldn’t say anything to him. He gave the community jobs so they could have some money, he paid they low wage because he knew they couldn’t complain if he’s the one providing them the job. It’s like a win for win for both side, so people didn’t see them as a bad person after all. Carnegie was basically both a Robber Baron and Captain of Industry.