The Impact of Captains of Industry

During the 19th and 20th centuries captains of industry, controlled most of the business in the U.S. Two stood out more than the others. Those two were John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. Rockefeller was in charge of oil, while Carnegie was in charge of steel production. While these men had a positive impact on society, they also had a negative impact on society. This was true for other captains of industry. Did the captains of industry have a positive or negative on the public?

Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in 1870. He became known as "the greatest business leader in American history". The Civil War helped him since he supported the Union, and he became a business mogul. He did help eradicate yellow fever and donated over 500 million dollars to charity and education. However, he bribed politicians to make laws that would favor his business. Many thought he was an underhanded businessman and was driven by greed, owing to the fact that he used cutthroat tactics to take over other companies. Carnegie started from the bottom and made his way to the top. He controlled the steel industry and was able to succeed when others were in debt. He was known all around. He helped make schools  and supported the government. He used ideas from Great Britain's steel industry. He also planned to destroy the steel workers union.

Carnegie cut salaries, but also gave out money to help
education and charities.

Both of these men had a positive impact on society as opposed to a negative impact. They helped to eradicate diseases. They also increased the influence of education by adding schools to the country. They were great men for leading the change in industry.

Source:"Forty-Millionaire Carnegie in his Great Double Role," The Saturday Globe, 9 July 1892; from David P. Demares