Underpinnings and Effectiveness of Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” In Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth”, Carnegie proposed a system of which he thought was best to dispose of “surplus wealth” through progress of the nation. Carnegie wanted to create opportunities for people “lift themselves up” rather than directly give money to these people. This was because he considered that giving money to these people would be “improper spending”. Through Social Darwinism, he hoped to dispose of the problems of: the Darwinian intellectual revolution, Eugenies, and the hierarchy of race. However his system was inherently flawed because Carnegie built this system on racism and warmongering. This system was built to rationalize why the fittest class, or the white Anglo-saxon men, were always on top. …show more content…
People became inherently self-interested because there were those who were considered the “fittest” (those were the people on the top), which were contrasted with those who were “unfit” (these people were those who had to work to be at the top). As for the redefinition of competition, this was defined as those who compete would reach the top. This time period was proven to be more cut throat in the way that you had to be inherently selfish to be at the top and competition was a major key factor in becoming part of the “fittest” class. Another ideal that prevailed was the idea that inequality is natural but equality is not. This meant that the world is purely a “dog eat dog” world, and there is no cooperation. This ideal was wrong because without healthy competition and cooperation, the world will not be able to function. Without cooperation, the world would purely be a “dog eat dog” world, and there would only be a select few at the top and no one would be able to work their way to the
According to Andrew Carnegie, men of wealth should have to provide for the less fortunate and should set a good example. The men have to provide all the necessities for his family. Also the men of wealth had to give back to the community.
Carnegie believed it was better to build public institutions rather than to give direct handouts to people. By giving assistance
Carnegie thinks it is better to build public institutions than give charity to the poor because the poor need to have the “desire to improve” and find help in these public institutions. (Carnegie 30). He believes that rather wealthy “Men who continue hoarding great sums all their lives” can find the proper use for their money, which is to help the community. (Carnegie 29). By just giving money to the poor the wealthy are doing all their work and instead the poor should find the assistance they need to improve their lives.
Greed – the extreme, selfish desire to acquire what is beyond average necessities. Whether greed applies to wealth or power, mankind is prone to exemplify the cupidity. Humans may never become truly content with what they are given, allowing them to desire superfluous objects. The development of greed, as shown in repeated history, eventually leads to the ruination of characters, one particular character being Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie, the leader of the steel industry in the 19th century, epitomized the concept of greed by yearning for supplementary profits within his company; this greed greatly affected the lives of many, including Carnegie himself.
Charities being established were influenced by The Gospel of Wealth. The idea of wealthy people giving their money to help people came from the article and flourished after it published. Using money for the betterment of society was a main goal in writing The Gospel of Wealth. Andrew Carnegie tells the readers how the relationship between rich and poor has changed over time.
Carnegie was involved in a highly competitive business. Does this excuse him (and others) for their treatment of workers? As told Carnegie grew up poor and then was forced to work unbearable hours and six days a week for little pay. “In 1849, at the age of 14, Ohio Telegraph Company hired Andrew as a telegraph messenger for $2.50 per week. With roaring ambition and an unbelievable work ethic propelling him, Carnegie taught himself the language of the telegraph and within a year became the operator.
2.The three of these platforms have a wide range of views on poverty and the best course of action to eliminate poverty for good or at least get people on their feet. For starters, The gospel of Wealth written by Andrew Carnegie takes the viewpoint of the Wealthiest men in America. In his writings, he makes sure to explain that the reason that people are homeless and on the street is because they lack a good work ethic. The wealthy men are, “skilled and intelligent,” and view that being in “Poverty is a kind of character flaw.” Though he clearly does not feel sorry for these people because he believes it is deserved, the main point of the gospel is that the Wealthy should give back to the people.
Andrew Carnegie could have let his employees keep their wages and worry about donations later. Taking money away to invest it somewhere else is not helping, because the people
He believed that if the wealthy don't give back some of their profits to the community, they are living a dishonorable life, and although I didn't necessarily agree with this radical viewpoint at first, I now am a firm believer in Carnegie's argument about wealth.
Both the “Social Gospel” and “The Gospel of Wealth” believed that there is a problem in society. The main difference between the two books is their completely opposing ideology. The Social Gospel believed it was the rich men who oppressed the poor in society. On the other hand the Gospel of Wealth believed that it was the rich who were the solution to fight poverty because they would ideally give back to the community and help the people in poverty.
The captains of industry believed that the poor people were inferior to the rich people. The rich were superior because they had “wisdom, experience, and the ability to administer”. The duty of a rich person was to help out a poor person which was what was said in the Gospel of Wealth. The Gospel of Wealth is about how the rich person's responsibility is philanthropy. Carnegie believes in charity work so he would donate to libraries, and universities and schools and etc.
Likewise, many wealthy people, including big business leaders, came to realize that it was their role in society was to give back. Due to all the negative responses, people such as Andrew Carnegie were huge philanthropists . They stated that because they were wealthy and were better inclined than most, they should be willing to help those at the bottom. Andrew Carnegie’s, Gospel of Wealth, explicitly stated how the wealthy have a moral obligation to give back (Outside Evidence). Other major responses to changes and the impact of big business were responses from the government.
At the end of the 19th Century, as the United States was experiencing rapid industrialization, a reconfiguration of the social order yielded opposing visions of social progress. Andrew Carnegie, wealthy businessman, and Jane Addams, founder of Chicago’s Hull House, put forward different methods to achieve such progress, where Addams focuses on creating social capital in a seemingly horizontal manner while Carnegie advocates for a top-down approach. While both of them seem to reap a sense of purpose from their attempts to improve the nation, their approaches vary depending on their vision of the composition of the population they want to uplift. First, Carnegie and Addams’ desire to improve society is partly self-serving. For Carnegie, improving society is the role of the wealthy man who, “animated by Christ’s spirit” (“Wealth”), can administer wealth for the community better than it could have for itself (“Wealth”).
During the late 19th century, there was a growth in industrialization. This brought new opportunities for the poor and the rich. For example, Carnegie helped build the steel industry in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, which made him one of the richest man in the world. As Carnegie gained more wealth, he questioned who money should be given to. Carnegie was both a Robber Baron and a Captain of Industry.
First of all, he was a major pioneer in the steel industry and created one of the most successful steel companies of all time. Carnegie also played a lead role in recognizing the workers’ right to strike, as long as peaceful action is conducted. In addition to this, Carnegie disapproved of pools made by companies solely in order to raise prices and make more money. Second of all, Carnegie impacted the lives of so many with his work in philanthropy. He funded numerous libraries all across the U.S. and even in Europe, meriting him the title “Patron Saint of Libraries”.