Henry Ford

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the life of Henry Ford, considering both his positive contributions to American life and his negative characteristics and outlooks. The paper credits Ford with being an innovator in his work. The history of his inventions is presented along with the background and ethics behind the companies he founded. The writer also expounds on Ford's virulent anti-Semitism, and how his beliefs as a notable American industrialist influenced intolerance toward Jews in the Midwest. The paper concluded by stating despite Ford's negative attributes he made tremendous positive contributions to American society.

From the Paper:

"Henry Ford may be the most famous American innovator. From his development of the Ford Model T, to the introduction of assembly lines, Ford helped usher in a technological revolution. Ford's impact was not limited to technology; he was widely renowned as a champion of his workers, and was the first major manufacturer to ensure that his workers were paid a living wage. Of course, like most people, Ford had his faults. For example, Ford was virulently anti-Semitic, and is credited with much of the spread of anti-Semitism throughout the Midwest. Furthermore, while technologically brilliant, Ford was not highly educated in other areas; this became problematic because he was viewed as a leader by many Americans. Because Ford had a tremendous amount of influence on American people, both his good and bad characteristics helped change the face of American history."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Baldwin, Neil. Henry Ford and the Jews: The Mass Production of Hate. New York: Public Affairs, 2001.
• Ford, Henry. The International Jew: The World's Foremost Problem. Whitefish Montana: Kessinger Publishing, 2003.
• Ford, Henry and Samuel Crowther. My Life and Work. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Page & Company: 1925.
• Iacocca, Lee. "Henry Ford." Time Magazine Online. 2003. Time Inc. 27 Jul. 2006 <http://www.time.com/time/time100/builder/profile/ford.html>
• Wikipedia Contributors. "Henry Ford." Wikipedia, The Free Encylopedia. 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 27 Jul. 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford>.

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