Robber barons or captains of industry 2011
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Transcript of Robber barons or captains of industry 2011
If there are no rules against cheating, does that make it ok? Why or why not?
a.) served USA positively, created jobsb.) Philanthropists- giving to charities, founding
libraries and museums
a.) built fortunes from exploiting workersb.) drained USA’s natural resource
The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are often referred to as the time of the "robber barons.“ Who profited by exploiting the American customer…
Or did they only work as any good, thrifty capitalist would?
Social Darwinism- Big Business men justified what they did by Darwin’s theory of evolution
Federal Government- lassiez-faire policies- hands off of business practices and people, no regulation
"Law? Who cares about the law. Hain't I got the power?"—Comment alleged to have been made by Cornelius Vanderbilt, when warned that he might be violating the law
"Law? Who cares about the law. Hain't I got the power?"—Comment alleged to have been made by Cornelius Vanderbilt, when warned that he might be violating the law
“You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I'll ruin you. “—Cornelius Vanderbilt
"I believe the power to make money is a gift of God. . . . I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow man according to the dictates of my conscience."
a business leader whose
means of amassing a
personal fortune
contributes positively to
the country in some way
may have been through
increased productivity, expansion of
markets, providing more
jobs
may have engaged in some unethical and illegal business practices
used the capitalist system to exploit workers, form anti-competitive trusts, and place the accumulation of wealth above all else.
The belief that the rich could use whatever means necessary to increase their riches
Though a century has passed since the heyday of the great industrialists and financiers, debate continues:
were these men captains of industry, without whom this country could not have taken its place
as a great industrial power,
were they robber barons, limiting healthy competition and robbing from the poor to benefit the rich?
Where do we draw the line between unfair business practices and competition that leads to innovation,
investment, and improvement in the standard of living for everyone?
Would the industrial economy have succeeded without entrepreneurs willing to take competition to its
extremes?
My Hair sweeps
away the competition
If I sing it, you’ll buy anything I
want you to
My adorablen
ess will keep you
from suspecting
my evil deeds
I have a monopoly on your
hearts, so buy my concert tickets