Andrew Carnegie: A Captain Of Industry

Andrew Carnegie showed many signs of being a captain of industry, but he was a robber baron. Carnegie ran a steel company called the “Carnegie Steel Company.” Andrew Carnegie is the second richest American of all time with a net worth of $309 billion dollars (in today’s money). Clearly, his business was a huge success.
When Andrew Carnegie was younger, he worked in a cotton mill, in which his weekly salary was $1.20. After his job at the cotton mill, he became the manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad company. As he got older, he realized the importance of iron and steel to the American economy, and he began to produce his own. Steel-producing companies tried to compete with Carnegie’s business. He made several efforts to lower the cost of

iron and steel, making his steel mills the best, causing other steel companies to weaken.
Many people worked for Carnegie in his factory. All of Carnegie’s workers were treated horribly. In fact, his workers only got July fourth off the whole year. His workers were underpaid, especially when Carnegie wasn’t making enough money. Carnegie also made his workers work long shifts in dirty, unsafe environments. The factory was extremely hot, causing some workers to drink over two buckets of water.
Although he treated his workers horribly, Carnegie was one of the strongest philanthropists of all time. His goal was to donate all his fortune and die without a single penny. He did fail his goal, but he did donate a tremendous amount of money. Throughout his entire life, he had given away over $350 billion (in today’s money). Carnegie founded a number of charity institutions including the Carnegie-Mellon University, which is one of the world’s best research universities. Surprisingly, Carnegie also founded the Carnegie Relief Fund, which was a foundation to provide help for injured steelworkers. Near the end of his life, he spent most of his fortune to help resolve international conflicts with peace, but failed when World War I broke out.
Although Andrew Carnegie showed some signs of being a captain of industry, he made his workers suffer for his own good, making him a robber baron. His workers were treated so badly by him. Without all of his workers, he wouldn’t even have half of his entire fortune. Clearly, Andrew Carnegie is a robber baron.