Andrew CArnegie & Social Darwinism
Andrew Carnegie was known as a major steel tycoon. He built the largest steel company in the world, called the Carnegie Steel Company. Andrew Carnegie used an unusal and harsh method when it came to his business procdecures and practice to build up his company. This method was know as vertical intergration. Vertical integration occurred when "a single company was responsible for all facets of the business from the raw materials to the finished product" (ProQuest).
In order for Andrew Carnegie to rise to the top of the business world, he justified his harsh practices with th method of natural selection. The method in which he used can be explained by Social Darwinism, which basically means "survival of the fittest." This idea put workers up against each other creating a very competitive nature. Andrew Carnegie's company always remained at the top of the business world and was able to conquer and even destroymany other smaller companies. He easily became one of the richest men in the world. Andrew Carnegie retired from the steel industry in 1901 and focused his energy on philanthropy. He published his own book called The Gospel of Wealth. In his book he had a change of heart by explaining that the rich should use to their wealth to aid the poor. |
While the law of competiton may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it insures the survival of the fitest in evevry department |