Andrew Carnegie Essay

The rise of capitalism was characterised by exploitation and opportunity. Opportunities, if taken at the chance, en able-bodiedd men to access wealth. Andrew Carnegie is the perfect theoretical account of an entrepreneur and man who built the roots of American infrastructure. He can also lived the perfect American dream. He has a typical rags to affluentes story, which makes him a historical icon and an admirable man. Carnegie is known to have built a fortune on steel. still, the ways in which he made gold could be considered an abuse to ethics and deterrent example rights. Toward the end of his life, Carnegie decided to use his wealth for the greater good of the community and back up learning. For the above reasons, he can be considered as a robber baron, but I believed that he also worked for the greater good of human race nature.Carnegie was able to take opportunities to create a vast fortune. He came from absolutely nothing, but is known as a captain of industry. He monopo lised wealth, transport and infrastructure. He was innate(p) in Scotland in 1835. His family migrated to America in 1848 when he was thirteen. As a young boy, he worked in a cotton factory in Pittsburgh. He did not have many years of schooling nor attended university but he became the richest man on the planet during the industrial revolution. In this sense, he is the avatar of the American Dream. One of Carnegies sayings The first man gets the oyster, the second gets the shell explains his career fully.Carnegie had the ability to identify and seize opportunities, to foresee what would happen to industries and to take risks. He also stated that people who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity no matter how impressive their other talents furnish his ambitiousness. Carnegie was not content with commonplace. His ability to seize opportunities and invest in them dish outed greatly his career. He saw potential in telegraphing and transport. While he was wor king in the railroad industry, in 1859, he saw a connection between steel and infrastructure. Carnegie grabbed the opportunity and created a successful steel company, a great example of capitalist exploitation.Carnegies steel company, Carnegie Steel, which opened near Pittsburgh in the 1870s, is an example exploitation during the rise of capitalism. Carnegie created employment. The way he ran his company can be believed to be anabuse of manpower and human capacities. His workplace was similar to modern day sweatshops. He made men work hard. They had long hours, twelve hours per day, six years per week, in extremely poor working conditions. Because steel was in demand at the time, due to the advancements in steam engines, Carnegie decided to keep costs outset to attract more people. However that meant that he kept his workers wages low as well.This resulted in violent labour strike in 1892. Carnegie always preached for rights of workers and unions. However his actions did not match his rhetoric. A major strike at Carnegie Steel was a clash between capitalism and workers unions. It was bloody and violent. It lasted five month. During that time Carnegie went to Scotland and left-hand(a) the companys general manager, Henry Clay Frick in charge. 300 Pinkerton armed guards were posted around the factory and ten men were killed. Carnegies whole way out of this dilemma was to sell his factory. He sold it to J. Pier Morgan, for $480 million, in 1901. Andrew Carnegie turned his career from capitalism to philanthropy.When Carnegie sold his steel company to Morgan, he became the richest man on earth, said Morgan the day he bought the company. In 1889, Carnegie had published an essay, in which he stated that, the rich have a moral obligation to distribute their money in ways to promote the welfare and happiness of the common man. He also said that, the man who dies rich thus dies disgraced. During his life he gave away more than $350 millions. Carnegie supported educat ion and reading.He donated money to 2500 libraries around the world. The particular thing about Carnegies philanthropist career is that he did not just want to help people he valued to help others help themselves. He gave away his money for the improvement of mankind. For example, giving money away to libraries instead of people allowed mankind educate themselves. Consequently, education became easier to access for everyone. Carnegie became one of the most famous philanthropists, a pure(a) opposite to the man whom exploited people in his factory.Andrew Carnegie was both a robber baron and a philanthropist. In my opinion, he worked for the greater good of human nature. He was a man who took opportunities to make his career, as well as giving other opportunities. Even though he exploited people, and the working conditions in his steelfactory are an example of that, he offered them jobs, and a way to make money for their families. I agree that in the end he helped others to help them selves. His massive donation of $350 millions shows his change of heart towards the end of his life. As Carnegie, grew up in a poor social class, I believe that he wanted to give others similar opportunities as he strived for. Giving them a chance for education and free access to libraries. The millions of dollars that he donated gave others a chance to improve their lives. I believe that Andrew Carnegie is a man to be remembered as one whom sought better mankind.