John D. Rockefeller as a Robber Baron Essay - 3605 Words

John D. Rockefeller as a Robber Baron A robber baron was someone who employed any means necessary to enrich themselves at the expense of their competitors. Did John D. Rockefeller fall into that category or was he one of the captains of industry, whose shrewd and innovative leadership brought order out of industrial chaos and generated great fortunes that enriched the public welfare through the workings of various philanthropic agencies that these leaders established? In the early 1860s Rockefeller was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, who came to epitomize both the success and excess of corporate capitalism. His company was based in northwestern Pennsylvania. A major question historians have disagreed on has been whether†¦show more content†¦John D. Rockefeller and his comrades had stolen a long march on their 3 opponents, their tactics shaped themselves already as giant industrialists of the future conquering the pigmies. Josephson said, Entrenched at the narrows of the mighty river of petroleum, they could no more be dislodged than those other barons, who had planted their castles along the Rhine(Taking Sides 35). Ralph W. Hidey and Muriel E. Hidey disagreed with Josephson. In the book Taking Sides, They believe that John D. Rockefeller and his associates created and applied a system for operating a large integrated industrial enterprise, which was one of the earliest representatives of Big Business. He contributed to the development of American petroleum industry and through it to the growth of the economy. The Hideys believed that Rockefellers greatest contribution, beyond the concept of Standard Oil combination itself, was the persuasion of strong men to join the alliance and to work together effectively in its management. Oil policies went deep into the personalities and early experiences of Rockefeller and his colleagues. They had heightened uncertainty and speculation about their activities by their secrecy in building the alliance and by their evasive and legal testimony on the witness stand. There tended to be aroused antagonism because the veryShow MoreRelated Robber Barons and the Captains of Industry Made Americas Economy of Today862 Words   |  4 Pagesfactions in US history, the Robber Barons and the Captains of Industry. These two are what made the way America’s economy it is today. The Robber Barons and the Captains of industry were both very similar but completely different with how they operated in the economic world. Robber Barons made wealth in a variety of ways but still maintained the sense of thieves from the way they attained their wealth and treated their people hence forth their name. The Robber Barons were considered a unlikable formRead MoreThe Myth Of Robber Barons By Burton W. Folsom1141 Words   |  5 PagesAishwarya Nandini Jonathan M. 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This company was one of the first big trusts in the United States, thus much controversy and opposition arose regarding business strategies and its organization. John D. Rockefeller was also one of the United States first major philanthropists, establishing numerous important foundations and donating close to $600 million to variousRead More The Robber Barons Essay733 Words   |  3 PagesThe Robber Barons When the names Carnagie, Rockefeller, and Pullman come to mind, most of us automatically think of what we saw or read in our history books: These men were kind and generous and through hard work and perseverance, any one of you could become a success story like them, right? Wrong. I am sick of these people being remembered for the two or three good deeds they have done. Publicity and media have exaggerated the generosity of these men, the government has spoiled these namesRead More Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller Essay626 Words   |  3 Pages Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller; Captains of industry, or robber barons?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  True, Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller may have been the most influential businessmen of the 19th century, but was the way they conducted business proper? To fully answer this question, we must look at the following: First understand how Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller changed the market of their industries. Second, look at the similarities and differences in how both men achieved dominationRead MoreThe Myth Of Robber Barons1332 Words   |  6 PagesThe Myth of Robber Barons discusses some of the major entrepreneurs in of the United States from 1850 to 1910. Burton Folsom also discusses these entrepreneur’s key role in their fields and the whole economy of the United States. The entrepreneurs discussed are Commodore Vanderbilt, James J. Hill, The Scranton’s Group, Charles Schwab, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Mellon. 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He claimed to have the ability to cure patients with cancer and charged up to $25 per treatment. His mother was a very religious and well-organized woman. Growing up Rockefeller started his entrepreneurship career early by selling candy and doing jobs for his neighbors. Little did anyone know this