Topic > Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller's Perceptions of Wealth Distribution

Andrew Carnegie, was an industrialist and philanthropist throughout the Gilded Age. He founded Carnegie Steel, wrote The Gospel of Wealth, and made a fortune in his lifetime. The Gospel of Wealth states that the rich should use their money for the betterment of society and not just for themselves. Although Carnegie believed that the unequal distribution of wealth was a temporary issue, it is permanent and still makes the gap between rich and poor evident today. Industrialists and entrepreneurs like John D. Rockefeller and Mark Zuckerberg help fill the void by giving back to the people who need it most. The unequal distribution of wealth continues today due to the power hierarchy of the wealthy within the business sector. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie is about the large gap between rich and poor due to industrialization and Carnegie's beliefs about why the rich should distribute their money to the less fortunate. Carnegie believes that society would improve as a whole if the rich did this, and it would close the gap between rich and poor. To fill this gap, Carnegie explains what rich men could do with excess money and how they can use this excess wealth to benefit society and the less fortunate. Carnegie explains how the extra money should be “left to the families of the deceased; or it may be bequeathed for public purposes; or finally it can be administered during their lifetime by its possessors” (Carnegie). Although Carnegie believes that giving away excess wealth will benefit the community, he describes how it will only be beneficial and fair if deserving people obtain this wealth. He believes that if you are rich, you have worked hard to reach that level of success, and if you are not, you don't have to work hard enough to be rewarded. He explains that the distribution of excess wealth is effective and beneficial to the well-being of society only if it is given to people who are worthy of receiving the money while it is given to someone who does not deserve it. This relates to today's world because there is still a large wealth gap between rich and poor. Although Andrew Carnegie believed that the unequal distribution of wealth was a temporary issue, it is largely permanent and the gap between rich and poor will remain. Much like Andrew Carnegie, people like industrialist John D. Rockefeller distribute their wealth to work to close this gap. John D. Rockefeller was a captain of industry of his time, meaning he was an entrepreneur whose fortune had a positive impact on society. Rockefeller influenced America industrially through his Standard oil company. Due to his extreme wealth earned from his company, he became a philanthropist. This meant that much of his earnings went to charitable organizations, which had a beneficial and positive effect on the community. In 1913, the Rockefeller Organization was founded “to promote the welfare of mankind throughout the world” (Rockefeller). To this day this foundation continues to work and solve problems around the world, whether related to economic mobility, energy or health; having an immense impact on the world. Overall, Rockefeller donated more than half a billion dollars to various educational, religious, and scientific causes. This relates to today's world because there is still a notable gap between rich and poor. Rockefeller tried to fill this gap by using his wealth.