Critics Of Robber Baron To The USA Economy

Running Head: ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 1

Robber Barons’ In the Growth of the U.S. Economy

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ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 2

About the “Robber Barons”

Robber Baron is a social criticism metaphor used in the 19

century to describe

unscrupulous people in business that used unfair ways to get wealthy. During this time,

crusading journalists and other mindful critics expressed their concerns over industrial

businesspeople that used unnecessary means to increase their riches. Investigative journalists

also wrote newspaper articles on the destructive force of the Robber Barons because they were

circumventing American laws to achieve supremacy (Renehan, 2005). At one time, a newspaper

economic and political commentator named Matthew Josephson wrote about the Robber Barons

as a group of industrial princes of his time with an enormous concentration on wealth. He also

described the Barons as people well connected through political affiliations that enabled them to

curb their wealth. The term Robber Barons is derived from an ancient German lord who charged

illegal fees on roads crossing through their empire and the Rhine River even though it was not

allowed by the Holy Roman Empire (Nourzhanov, 2005). The metaphoric term was first used in

America in 1859 in the New York Times newspaper to describe unethical business practices by

an American businessman and philanthropist who acquired his wealth by building railways and

shipping goods. Altogether, the term was continuously used to characterize people with unethical

actions such as corrupting the government, robbing investors and consumers, and habitually

practiced predatory activities that were inspired by greed and power to sway citizens that were

led by a weak democracy (Gordon, 2016). The term Robber Barons is a combination of two

comparable characters that are; the senses of a Robber mind (Robber), and individuals who have

no legitimate intentions in the workings of the public (Barons).

The Robber Barons habitually put their employees in poor working conditions that led to

deprived health and mental states mostly due to the low wages they received and high work

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 3

output they tolerated because the Robber Barons saw them as machines in their businesses. The

Robber Barons were so influential that they were able to hire defenders who criticized the work

of the investigative journalists while trying to paint a different picture of how those people

acquired such heights of great wealth and industrialization (Fleck, 2011). Some of the

investigative journalists argued that the rich Robbers were well connected with corrupt

politicians and government officials and thus the reason they got away with taxes, corruption,

and other crimes such as exposing workers to colossal working conditions.

Robber Baron’s Steely Determination to Get Wealthy

According to the analysis of the written text about Robber Barons, one can notice that

most of the individuals categorized in the group were born poor, had a simple education, and had

no technical skills only that they used intelligence and luck to get into the American political

system (John, 2012). Their primary purpose and intention were to make money using ways that

are immoral to the society and later proved to the nation that they had made more money and

should thus be considered influential. The Robber Barons brought about adverse effects to the

community because they either used unethical labor terms and conditions or took money for

themselves by immoral means such as tax evasion, defrauding buyers and consumers, and

delivering low-quality goods below the rate of what was paid for(Nourzhanov, 2005). The

individuals who are characterized as Robber Barons used philanthropist strategies to cover their

unethical ways so as not to burnish their reputations and also to protect their properties from

expropriation (Renehan, 2005). These kinds of individuals have a character massive appetite for

success and a steely determination to turn their dreams into reality through a relentless logic of the

economics of scale (Glaeser, Et Al. 2007). Some of the techniques they used to turn their dreams

into reality include denouncing regulators, suiting monopoly with an excuse that there exists

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 4

destructive competition, as well as ensuring continuity of quality and cheap supply to persuade

consumers into a comfortable life.

The result was that the Robber Barons had an unparalleled concentration of influence and

power and they mostly had control on the energy and transport sectors because this is where they

could quickly achieve central control (Glaeser, Et Al. 2007). Unlike today where most

companies are owned by a large number of shareholders, Robber Barons run faceless enterprises

where they held the most common share of the businesses to ensure they accumulated almost all

the revenue generated by their companies (Fleck, 2011). Their hunger for success prompted them

to collaborate with politicians so that they were able to evade taxes, control federal business

bills, establish their businesses beyond government regulations, and use political influence to

curb down competition against their companies. These individuals were characterized by a high

temptation to be successful which prompted them into the succession of adjacent businesses

through unqualified self-belief and undisciplined growth. Their steely determination led them to

dream bigger dreams and into solving social problems (Latham, 1949). For example, Henry Ford

drove a social attempt to put an end to the war that was happening in Europe where on arrival, he

gave a lecture on the production of quality tractors to the Norwegian community.

Robber Baron’s Character and their Come-up

Even though the individuals who are the actual Robber Barons were described as self-

made American men, investigative journalists turned against them in the 19

century and

exposed their characteristics (Jillson, 2004). First, it was revealed that the Robber Barons were

monopolistic due to their intense concentration of gaining unethical wealth. Influenced by the

weakness of the society, Robber Barons manipulated the stock market for their gains. They

habitually manipulated the stock market because they were the lead financiers of the companies

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 5

trading at the stock exchange and also because of their influence, they were able to loan the

federal government. These Robber Barons were frequent philanthropists to charitable causes

because it was through philanthropy that they gained more power and fame (Nourzhanov, 2005).

They were able to represent their businesses through the philanthropic causes to hide the colossal

working conditions that made their wealth (Glaeser, Et Al. 2007). Considering the poor working

conditions for the employees in the Robber Baron's companies, the charity they donated for

various causes can be seen as a mere mockery to the society because their giving was not in a

way that could relieve the suffering of individuals working at their companies.

Another characteristic of the Robber Barons is that they had an eye for regional businesses

that occupied the center of the American economy. During the end of the 19

century, industries

such as railway building, shipping, oil business, and manufacturing were the nation's most

prominent business during that time (John, 2012). During this time, Robber Barons such as David

Rockefeller founded the petroleum refining business. These were the best time for early entrants

into the market to become monopolists, to control costs, shut down chaotic competition, and

dominate the market by offering services and products at radically low prices which gave rise to

captains of the industries (Jillson, 2004). These men who are described as Robber Barons had

another unique characteristic that made them unique among men. These people were great

inventors and businessmen and thus their ability to create high political connections, develop

products that would change business and technical processes, as well as be able to identify high-

profit opportunities and be able to dominate those ideas on time (Latham, 1949). These men were

highly ruthless and did not consider the rights of their workers provided they made the profit they

intended to make. They produced large amounts of money by having people work for long hours,

under harsh conditions, and with low wages despite the Robber Barons having enormous wealth.

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 6

How Robber Barons Lobbied Politicians

Robber Barons were able to lobby politicians to turn free-market capitalism to state

capitalism which consisted of one or more groups of people using the government as apparatus

to boost their business while at the same time shutting down competition that would affect the

earnings of their company (Glaeser, Et Al. 2007). From the early 19th century, the American

economy has always had a mix of political and market entrepreneurs and manipulators. At most

time's people who started as market entrepreneurs later became political entrepreneurs who made

it even easier to control market forces to their benefit (Fleck, 2011). The Robber Barons were

able to lobby politicians through a strategy known as "neo-mercantilism" which involves federal

policies set to discourage imports, encourage more exports, control capital movement, and

centralize currency decisions (Jillson, 2004). In other means, these businessmen used politicians

to interfere with business processes. In one example, Leland Stanford who was a former

governor of California utilized political connections to prevent competition for their Central

Pacific Railroad for them to profit from the monopoly business scheme.

Corrupt politicians worked for hand in hand with the Robber Barons to ensure their

interests were met and in return, they received payoffs and payments for ordinary legislation and

administration. The Robber Barons were the sponsors of dominant political parties thus the

reason they received intense loyalty when they demanded business policy changes (Jillson,

2004). Politicians served them as their masters, and the politicians had become mere puppets of

the elite business community (Fleck, 2011). Robber Baron's corruption and lobbying of

politicians was a clear indication that the federal government was not functioning well when

things started to get confusing in the early 1860s. The federal government had proved to be a

generous patron of the Robber Barons until investigative journalists pointed out how the

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government had turned to be scarcely moribund while politicians had turned into partisan

imperative with antistatic attitudes (Latham, 1949). The Robber Barons had successfully limited

the power of the federal government by dividing politicians and using them for their selfish

business interests. Politicians were necessary for the Robber Barons to accomplish their benefits

because they were able to adjust constitutional bills and business policies.

Robber Baron’s Enormous Appetite for Success and Fashion of Behavior

Albeit the two commanders of industry and Robber Barons do exist most industrialists

are Robber Baron, or they begin off like a Robber Baron. A Robber noble is an industrialist that

does anything he can to pick up riches, from influencing open authorities to translate laws to

support them and mercilessly demolishing their business rival to paying specialists crappy wages

and controlling them to work in hazardous conditions(Fleck, 2011). A large number of the

business people who molded post-Civil War modern America were Robber Barons.

One familiar character for business people amid the post-Civil War mechanical America

was their inclination to convince open authorities to decipher laws to support them(Glaeser, Et

Al. 2007). Every one of the industrialists thought about was getting to the best and being number

one, and they could just do that by having cash, the business people were eager and implored on

poor people who are exhibited in the "The Robber Barons of Today, 1889". The industrialists

ended up noticeably affluent by breaking the principles and twisting them to support them and

they thought what they were doing was okay since they all had faith in the good news of riches

(Jillson, 2004). By putting stock in the good news of riches, the business people trusted that they

were legitimized by God to be as well off as they seem to be (Nourzhanov, 2005). The

entrepreneurs guaranteed either that common choice gave them their riches or God gave them

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their riches which implies that despite the fact that "the bay between the utilized and the business

is developing more extensive; social complexities are getting to be noticeably more honed. As

liveried carriages show up; so do barefooted youngsters" (John, 2012), the industrialists couldn't

have cared less because they were all affluent.

Under this conviction of the good news of riches, the business people could control the

Constitution and in general the administration (Renehan, 2005). The business people could and

would dependably utilize their cash to enlist legal counselors to put on hold to controls given by

the government. When the vast wealth of the rich got brought into question, and the industrialists

would take cover behind the fourteenth amendment, which said that partnerships were lawful

(McCann, 2014). When the famous Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 got passed, the

entrepreneurs would be utilizing their riches and legal counselors to discover escape clauses in

the process (Fleck, 2011). Another case of the business people using their wealth to twist the

guidelines to support them was the Credit Mobilier Scandal. In the Credit Mobilier Scandal, a

gathering of Union Pacific Railroad insiders consolidated and influenced a phony development

to an organization to fabricate a railroad track (Glaeser, Et Al. 2007). The Union Pacific Railroad

insiders employed themselves at a to a standard degree high wage, which implied that they got

wealthier, and when government authorities found about the embarrassment, the insiders utilized

their riches to pay the authorities to remain calm.

The second character for entrepreneurs amid the post-Civil War mechanical America that

influenced them to appear to be more similar to Robber Baron was the way they savagely

destroyed their business rival. Andrew Carnegie is an incredible case of an industrialist that

debilitated to wreck his business rival unless they did what he needed them. In 1900 Carnegie

wished to offer possessions of his organization, and he selected J.P. Morgan to purchase his

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 9

property. Carnegie realized that Morgan was producing steel pipe tubing, so he undermined

Morgan to get him out, or he would bounce into the same business from Morgan and demolish

him (Jillson, 2004). Following this danger, Morgan purchased Carnegie out for four hundred

million dollars. Carnegie debilitated Morgan to get him out for an extensive whole of cash else

he would destroy Morgan that sounds like a simple arrangement and influences Carnegie to

resemble a Robber noble. Another case of a Robber Baron is John D. Rockefeller. John D.

Rockefeller picked up an unbelievable measure of energy by disposing of his opposition

(Renehan, 2005). Rather than dealing with the mediator and his business rival, Rockefeller sorted

out the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in 1870. Under this redesign, Rockefeller endeavored to

dispose of both the broker and the majority of his business rival in the meantime, and by doing

these seven years after the fact (Latham, 1949). By disposing of his business rival and the

mediator, Rockefeller picked up loads of influence and cash which makes him a Robber Baron.

The original trademark that makes an industrialist a Robber Baron is his propensity to

drive his laborers to work for crappy pay and under dangerous conditions. By and by each of the

entrepreneurs thinks about being number one and getting cash, and he does that by constraining

everybody to work for him (Fleck, 2011). Everybody regardless of how old or youthful, a man or

a lady was working amid the post-Civil War modern period in America, and an announcement

C.D. Warner demonstrates this wrote in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine "Each man, lady, and

the tyke was effectively utilized." Once a man could work, he or she needed to work extended

periods of time and days, and for low pay, this has appeared in Doc G where a photo of "Breaker

Boys at Woodward Coal Mining" is appeared. The young men in the photograph are clearly to a

great degree youthful, possibly age’s seven to twelve, and needed to work in amazingly

dangerous conditions to get cash, the subtitle on the photo says that they were working in a coal

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 10

mine which is a risky work environment for anybody. In this article, Levasseur expresses "he

had worked seventeen years in England, and cap conditions were greatly improved than in

America (Latham, 1949). The makers there were not all that burning as they are here working

their men like steeds or slaves". This little statement resistant demonstrates that the entrepreneurs

who formed post-Civil War modern America were Robber nobles since they couldn't have cared

less about their specialists and treated them like stallions and slaves rather than like individuals

all since they thought about cash(McCann, 2014).

Despite the fact that a few business people like Andrew Carnegie wound up looking like

to a higher degree a commander of the business since he devoted the finish of his life to helping

other people Carnegie is as yet a Robber Baron (Dempsey, 2011). Carnegie asserted to be a

skipper of the industry since he said things like "the man of riches in this manner turning into the

minor specialist and trustee for his poorer brethren (Nourzhanov, 2005). Conveying to their

administration his absolute knowledge, experience, and capacity to direct, improving the

situation them superior to anything they would or could improve the situation themselves." An

announcement like Carnegie's sounds excellent; however, in all actuality, he was merely

attempting to conceal the mix-ups in his past, being a thief Baron.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that both Robber Baron and skippers of industry exist most entrepreneurs

are thief Barons. Most capitalists persuade public officials to twist laws to favor them or hire

lawyers. Most capitalists do anything they can to ruin their competitors and get themselves on

top and finally most capitalist force every one of their workers to work for cheap wages and in

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 11

adverse environments, which makes capitalist of the post-Civil War industrial America Robber

Barons.

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References

Nourzhanov, K. (2005). Saviours of the nation or Robber Barons?Warlord politics in

Tajikistan. Central Asian Survey,24(2), 109-130.

Fleck, C. (2011). A transatlantic history of the social sciences: Robber Barons, the Third Reich

and the invention of empirical social research. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Latham, E. (1949). John D. Rockefeller: Robber Baron Or Industrial Statesman? (Vol. 7).DC

Heath.

Jillson, C. C. (2004). Pursuing the American Dream Opportunity and Exclusion Over Four

Centuries.

John, R. R. (2012). Robber Barons redux: Antimonopoly reconsidered. Enterprise &

Society, 13(1), 1-38.

Glaeser, E. L., &Goldin, C. (2007). Corruption and reform: lessons from America's economic

history. University of Chicago Press.

Renehan, E., (2005) Dark Genius of Wall Street : The misunderstood life of Jay Gould, king of

the Robber Barons, New York : Basic Books

McCann, L., (2014) International and Comparative Business: Foundations of Political

Economies, London: Sage, chapter 3, pp. 40-52

Gordon, R.J., (2016) The Rise and Fall of American Growth, Princeton: Princeton Univerity

Press

ROBBER BARONS AND THE U.S ECONOMY 13

Dempsey, P. S. (2011). The rise and fall of the Interstate Commerce Commission: The tortuous

path from regulation to deregulation of America's infrastructure. Marq. L. Rev., 95, 1151.

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