Abstract
The paper argues that the life of Andrew Carnegie may be interpreted as exemplary of the broad issues, trends, and conflicts that characterized Gilded-Age America, because his wealth was so great that he epitomized the captains of industry of the era - those owners of the means of production who grew fabulously rich while the majority of ordinary citizens remained grindingly poor. Thus, the paper shows how he epitomized the economic divergence which still characterizes industrial capitalism. The paper notes that he also epitomized a major issue of the time, that is, the nature of freedom.

From the Paper
"In what ways can the life of Andrew Carnegie be interpreted as exemplary of the broad issues, trends, and conflicts that characterized Gilded-Age America? In answering this, be certain to consider Carnegie's involvement in the Homestead Lockout of 1892 and the values and aspirations of those who opposed him there. The life of Andrew Carnegie may be interpreted as exemplary of the broad issues, trends, and conflicts that characterized Gilded-Age America, because his wealth was so great that he epitomized the captains of industry of the era - those owners of the means of production who grew fabulously rich while the majority of ordinary citizens remained..."

Tags:carnegie, freedom, equality

Abstract
This paper provides a comparison and contrast of two of America's most successful "Captains of Industry," Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. The business tactics, rise to power and philanthropic efforts of both men are addressed to show how they helped establish a new industrial order in the United States.

From the Paper
"According to Charles R. Morris, in the four decades following the end of the Civil War, American per capita production and consumption grew rapidly, the U.S. population increased dramatically and the economy surged past that of Great Britain. Morris argues this radical transformation unfolded primarily due to the lives of four men; steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, oil baron John D Rockefeller, securities and railroad titan Jay Gould, and financier J. P. Morgan. In "The Tycoons", Morris characterizes Andrew Carnegie as annoying and cruel while portraying Rockefeller as..."

Tags:steel, oil, kerosene, railroads, strikes, Carnegie Steel Company, Standard Oil, monopoly, Johnstown Flood, Pinkerton

Abstract
The paper examines Andrew Carnegie's early life, detailing his rise from bobbin boy in a cotton mill to wealthy industrialist. The paper explains that Carnegie's interest in philanthropy began in 1870, at the age of thirty-five, but that he first publicly set forth his concept of what he termed "scientific philanthropy" in an 1889 essay entitled "Wealth", which succinctly stated his thesis that "The problem of our age is the administration of wealth." The paper shows that reaction to Carnegie's ideas was mixed, and cites examples both from those in favor and those opposed. It shows how Carnegie applied his principles in funding libraries and then moved on to develop the modern philanthropic foundation and organize the business of philanthropy at the turn of the century. The paper discusses his competition with John D. Rockefeller to see who could give the most. The paper analyzes the long-term changes that Carnegie's philanthropy brought about in American culture and society. In conclusion, the writer feels that Carnegie's example is one that should be followed by other persons of great wealth, since prudent and judicious distribution of private wealth is the only way that the free enterprise system can hope to survive for more than a short term in a historical time frame.

Table of Contents:
Early Life
Carnegie the Philanthropist
Competitive Philanthropy
The Carnegie Legacy
Bibliography

From the Paper
"Carnegie's ideas about the distribution of his vast wealth drew criticism at the time he began his philanthropic activity. However, his ideas are sound and, in retrospect, most of the criticism can be observed to come from those who either did not receive the extent of support that they sought or objected to the restrictions and qualifications placed upon them as beneficiaries. However, he was true to his own ideals. He had ample reason for making the provisions he did, and they have held up to public scrutiny and examination after the fact. Libraries are an acknowledged necessity in today's world, and it is difficult to imagine what the world would be without them. Certainly, they have served as an aid and an impetus to education to the entire population. It may have been a small beginning, considering the extent of his fortune, but it was characteristic of Carnegie to act in ways that are well thought out and methodical. Libraries were his first endeavor, but he never meant them to be his last."

Tags:library, endowment, trust, Rockefeller, wealth

Abstract
This paper details the life of one of the most influential businessmen in U.S. history, Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie's legacy includes many philanthropic endowments which set the tone for his day, but he is also remembered as being one of the greatest robber barons of his day who controlled the giant steel industry. According to this author, Carnegie was an complex individual, who vocally supported unions in public, but in private did everything in his power to stem their power in his many different factories. It is ironic that, in the late 1800s, the first union in America was formed in one of Carnegie's plants and his actions would lead to one of the most violent strikes in history. The resolution of this strike was the reason the introduction of government regulations involving collective bargaining arrangements in labor disputes that still exist today. The author cites several examples where Carnegie's actions did not match his deeds and only served to fuel the fires of discontent among the union members. The author also discusses how despite the fact that many businessmen, like Carnegie supported the concept of monopolies, by the beginning of the twentieth century, things had begun to change.

According to this author, the unions were drawing attention to the worker's needs and rights and as a result, the government began to develop new regulations for businesses which lead to the eventual demise of monopolies. The author concludes with several comments about how Carnegie eventually came to publicly acknowledge that the labor unions and shared wealth were a better option for the country.

From the Paper
"Carnegie had created his business empire upon the simple concept that a monopoly is, for the monopolist, the most efficient way to do business. Without competition, the owner can create the most efficient production and delivery system he can without wasting time and money negotiating and competing with others. This was the precept of Carnegie and those like him, the nation is better off with monopolies. But, the workers, the masses of thousands and millions who filled the factories and mined the ore, who broke their backs and their families for virtually no money, these were the people who brought the reality of the monopoly to the attention of the government. It was the union, and its ability to bring a large voice in the form of unification that could speak as loud as that of the one person at the head of the company. Unions, then, brought about an equalization."

Tags:monopolies, robber, baron, unionization

Abstract
This paper explains that Andrew Carnegie is remembered for two main achievements: The enormous amounts of money he amassed as an industrialist and his giving most of his money away to charity. The author points out that, if Andrew Carnegie had not lived in poverty in the early years of his life, he may not have been so very interested in giving away his money to other people or, if he had not been interested in the written word, he may not have given millions away to public libraries and for free education. The paper stresses Andrew Carnegie's strong contention that giving away one's wealth for the common good was as important as making the wealth in the first place, the giving away must be done personally and it must be done in the right manner.

From the Paper
"It must be noted that Andrew Carnegie considered education as being the veritable 'key' to life, and he was also extremely interested and also committed to the cause of an access to information. It is said that one incident in particular alerted Andrew Carnegie to this important fact, in the libraries of Colonel Anderson in Allegheny City, an incident that seems to have motivated him into donating enormous amounts of funds to the cause of library building all over the United States of America. As a matter of fact, over the doors of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, are carved the words, 'Free to the People', and this shows the spirit and the thoughts of the man."

Tags:libraries, schools, philanthropic, poverty, common-good

Abstract
This paper explains that Harold Livesay's "Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business" thoughtfully traces Carnegie's life from his impoverished immigrant childhood through his ruthless business career, to his becoming the wealthiest man in the world and a noted philanthropist. The author points out that the reader learns of Carnegie's alliance with Rockefeller, Carnegie's massive contribution to the success of the steel industry and his final triumph over his competitors and rivals. The paper presents Carnegie as being hard working, daring, forceful with the ability to master the details of a business very quickly, to make decisions and follow through and to pick gifted associates who reflected his style of management.

From the Paper
"The following chapters (two through five) of Livesay's book delineate Carnegie's apprenticeships, first as a manager, then as a financier, before becoming a "master moneyman." In his early teens, Carnegie worked menial jobs, but was bright and an avid learner, so at the age of seventeen, Tom Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad hired him as a personal telegrapher and secretary. Carnegie was soon was awarded with greater and greater responsibilities, and by the time he was twenty, he was helping Scott perfect the complicated cost accounting system that Scott devised."

Tags:philanthropist, steel, daring, pittsburgh, techniques

Abstract
The paper outlines the background of Andrew Carnegie and his rise from poverty to become an astute businessman and famed philanthropist. The paper looks at Carnegie's business dealings, his impact on America's economy and policy of imperialism and his unprecedented philanthropy. The paper concludes with the contention that Carnegie is a reflection of what made America great.

Outline:
Introduction
Carnegie the Businessman
The Philanthropic Carnegie
Summary

From the Paper
"Carnegie was a man born into poverty, but for whom the goals of personal accomplishment and success were high as set by his family who held education in high regard, but whom also had high expectations of his humanity. So as he observed others around him, around the industry he built, achieve their own goals of success alongside his own steel business, then Carnegie seems to take great pride and pleasure in witnessing those men and events. His admiration of the rise of the hard working man helps to explain how, when later, after he had amassed a fortune for his self; he gave it all away, perhaps so that others could aspire, and be inspired (p. vii)."

Tags:philanthropy, fortunes, businessman, imperialism

Abstract
Andrew Carnegie helped build the formidable American steel industry and then sold his steel business and systematically gave his collected fortune away to cultural, educational and scientific institutions for "the improvement of mankind." This paper examines the way in which Carnegie, who was one of the first industrialists to use scientists to research his own business, came to be the wealthiest man of his time, in the world.

From the Paper
"During his final years, Carnegie spent most of his time in endeavors to promote world peace. He built both the Pan American Union building in Washington D.C. and the Hague Peace Palace, in the Netherlands to support international peace. The outbreak of World War I was devastating to him, and he died August 11, 1919 in Lenox, Massachusetts. By the time he died, Carnegie had given away $350,695,653 and had given another $30,000,000 to foundations, pensions and charities. Andrew Carnegie is considered one of the greatest philanthropists in the world and one of the wealthiest men who ever lived (http://www.carnegie.lib.oh.us/andrewcarnegie.htm)."

Tags:foundations, pensions, charities, philanthropists, wealthiest, industrial, military

Abstract
This paper discusses the concept of social Darwinism. It specifically discusses the philosophies of social Darwinism theorists, Herbert Spencer and Andrew Carnegie with regard to their views of social Darwinism. The paper details each of their theories and then compares them, particularly with regard to how they view the amassing of wealth.

From the Paper
"Carnegie stresses that the Gospel of Wealth is one that makes the amasser of such wealth completely and totally responsible for what he has created. After minimal accommodations to ensure that your most unprotected descendants are supported through your life and death, where he stresses helping wives and daughters the most and giving little if any nominal support to sons, who hold the social responsibility and ability of creating their own wealth in life and are often simply corrupted by freely given inheritance, the cream of the crop must dispense his surplus wealth himself, while he lives, on good works. The best possible social action of the successful Social Darwinist is to give what you have amassed through the wisdom that you have gained building said fortune. Spencer and Carnegie do not outright disagree, in the natural order determining the success and progress of man in these two works yet, Carnegie caries the idea to an extreme, making it the responsibility of those who have risen to the top to offer such opportunities to the new generation of people, who through natural selection will succeed the present. (Carnegie, 1889) (Spencer, 1857)"

Tags:wealth, predisposition, resources

Abstract
A nineteen-page essay on the development of libraries in the late nineteenth century and the impact of the money and philosophy of Andrew Carnegie.