Carnegie and Rockerfeller

Carnegie and Rockerfeller

Carnegie and Rockefeller

During the Industrial Revolution, two of the men that controlled the economy were John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. Rockefeller was born in 1839 in New York. He graduated from Cleveland High School at the age of 16. Rockefeller later grew up to own the oil refining companies. The technique he used was by pushing the other refineries to sell to him until they agreed to it. Although Rockefeller used forceful tactics in getting what he wanted, he had strong moral values and was very religious because of his mother.
The other top industrialist of the time, Andrew Carnegie, was born in 1835 in Scotland. Carnegie had no formal education but had been educated by his mother. He later became owner to the best and cheapest steel making industry. From the mines to the railroad carriers, Carnegie controlled everything. Owning every step of the steel-making process, cutting out the middle man allowed him to make a bigger profit.
Although Rockefeller had a high school education, neither Rockefeller nor Carnegie went to college. Both men were viewed as robber barons by their critics. That meant Carnegie and Rockefeller exploited their workers for cheap labor and more work hours, usually immigrants. Their companies turned into monopolies because both men owned most businesses and had no more competition. Carnegie and Rockefeller were both Social Darwinists. Carnegie used the theory to excuse his ruthless business “strategies”. Rockefeller had nothing to say about society. Likewise, neither cared for the “little people,” but closer to their end they became philanthropists. They both donated millions of dollars to special projects to improve the poor people’s lives and give them a good education.

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