Bobber Barons :: Free Essays

The American work value orientation is something our body politic should be proud of. Since the days of George Washington Americans have worked hard for what they believe in, what they need, and what they want. It is our right as Americans to be able to work for these ideals. Without out a strong work ethic our country would crumble. From businessmen to politicians a strong work ethic is required to keep our country financially and politically stable. People like Andrew Carnegie, basin D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan atomic number 18 men who possessed the intellect, the foresight, and more or less importantly the work ethic to become powerful industrialists. These men displayed their work ethic to the country by being ruthless and tireless. They started something so important that a hundred age later it is still making a huge contribution to our country (Maury Klein pg. 32). What they started was the industrial revolution. Today our country is the or so powerful in the v alet de chambre because of our great wealth. This wealth comes from the strength of our industry. If thou does non sow, thou does non reap(Hofstadter Recon.-Present Day pg.79). Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Morgan are the epitome of this statement. Some of these industrialists methods may not have been fair. However, unfair acts are not always illegal acts. For the most part these men stayed within the boundaries of the law. In the cruel world we represent in it is necessary to be ruthless in your work. There are several people who took their ruthlessness too far and contributed nothing to order but worked only for their own personal fortune. An example of this type of industrialist is Jay Gould (Maury Klein pg. 34). He is a robber baron in the truest sense of the word. However most of the powerful industrialists had financial goals for themselves as well as society. Had Rockefeller not been ruthless in building his railroad empire, our country would not have had as strong a railro ad system.