Andrew Carnegie: Robber Baron or America’s Greatest Philanthropist? 

I grew up going to a Carnegie Library as child and that inspired me to seek higher education and graduate studies. I know so many others whose youthful experiences in Carnegie libraries as nerdy scholars, motivated by the sheer size and scope of the collections, led them towards great careers and advancements. As father of the American library system his contribution just there was without scale or measure. Those libraries were the internet, iphone/Android, and Google to us all. Now being digitized, those books are giving back to younger researchers by the millions. Thank you Andy!

Don’t forget Carnegie Hall, for a century, *the* venue where Classical and other musicians dream of performing! Great biography!

Carnegie really thought through everything. He gave his heirs just enough to have a comfortable life, and the opportunity with that to prove themselves with the money he gave them. He never trusted charities because like most they're money wagons peddling to people's guilt while taking greater sum for themselves rather than those they represent.

I love the fact that he gave money to Tuskegee Institute to help get it started. Booker T. Washington and him had a great relationship and their is a building named after him there.

Now I see where my life went wrong, I should have met more wealthy people when I was a working child. For every Andrew Carnegie, you have countless others who didn't make those right connections, and struggled in poverty for the rest of their lives. Perhaps they got sick, and never recovered. Some of those could have been another industrialist like Carnegie, or a scientific genius like Einstein, but instead died young in the cycle of poverty.

I'm from Pittsburgh where Carnegie earned much of his fortune, thanks for saying his name correctly!

1:15 - Chapter 1 - Early years 3:50 - Chapter 2 - Life in america 6:25 - Chapter 3 - Business during the civil war 7:40 - Mid roll ads 9:00 - Chapter 4 - A man of industry 10:50 - Chapter 5 - The billion dollar corporation 12:20 - Chapter 6 - High points & heartbreaks 13:45 - Chapter 7 - The johnstown flood 17:05 - Chapter 8 - The homestead strike 19:10 - Chapter 9 - Philanthropy

Despite his vocal criticism of the wealthy, Mark Twain was friends with Andrew Carnegie. When people would say "How can you be friends with Carnegie? His money is tainted." Twain replied "That's right. Taint mine and taint yours."

Unlike many robber-baron 'philanthropists' today, Carnegie put his money into hospitals and libraries and so on, not political ideals.

I learned to read in school. My love for reading grew from my hometown library; Carnegie Public Library.

Rockefeller was one of his opponents/peers. Rockefeller also was a huge philanthropists. From what I've read, they competed with Each Other in that regard.

John D. Rockefeller, Sr. followed a similar trajectory. Born to a bigamous father and poor mother, he lived extremely frugally, became ruthless in business, becoming the “Moses of Oil,” and once he stepped back from Standard Oil, became a nice, likable grandfather who donated hundreds of millions of dollars, often anonymously.

Human history is epic and great and I'm glad to be a part of it. Thank you

A number of places are named after both Carnegie and Frick in this city. Definitely interesting people to learn about

The downtown library in my city was originally built using Carnegie's funds, and much of the old building is still around today. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city of Columbus.

Our local library is one of the many he sunk his money into.

Always Sunny has ruined the word “Philanthropist” for me. Charlie: “I’m a fullonrapist” And thats how i read the title of the video.

Thank you for pronouncing his name correctly. As a Pittsburgher, it is a huge pet peeve when people mispronounce it.

Been to his house in high school, they turned it in museum, it’s fun learning more about someone from your home town

My town in Idaho has a Carnegie library. It is very nice and well built

Went on a university trip to Carnegie Hall years ago. What a ruthless & giving man!

a big name in American history, just like William T. Sherman, how about a video on him?

The guy was a terrific WORKER - he worked and worked until he was wealthy. He was also ingenious and a believer in cutting costs. The competition didn't stand a chance against him. Don't ever expect a wealthy man to be perfect.

Your channel is simply awesome to know brief details about the past personalities. I'm enjoying this a lot. Thanks for the Gods work.

Simon: Explanation of how to say Carnagie correctly. Also Simon: Butchers Dunfermline 3 seconds later.

I mean, the Johnstown flood was exasperated pretty badly by the fact that Johnstown is in the worst possible place to avoid flooding, since it's in the middle of a bowl. It even had another two big floods after the one related to Carnegie. Not to take away from the fact that it was the fault of the country club, but still.

My grandfather was a Pullman Porter and was involved with A.Philip Randolph's movement to unionize the porters. I would love to see a video about A. Philip Randolph...and also one about those porters, who worked so, so hard for so little pay. I never knew that grandfather, who died of T.B. before I was born, but he got to travel the entire country, even meeting Will Rogers once. Rogers engaged him in a short conversation which he never forgot. A Will Rogers video would be great, too!

Henry Frick had the dam lowered and widened so he could get his carriage across this was the primary reason the dam failed

A little history of my hometown.

"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Easy, take an Uber.

Love these vids watch two before work every morning

Frick was all about Management by the Numbers, and even though Carnegie had hired him to increase the profit margin, the only thing Frick cared about was the bottom line, whatever the cost. Eventually Carnegie had to dismiss Frick, and while he received a handsome severance for his shares of stock, the breakup was less than friendly and Frick's descendants still bear a grudge against Carnegie for portraying Frick as the bad guy. While their practices would be considered inhumane and illegal by todays standards, back then it was how the game was played and it was survival of the fittest. And Carnegie also held grudge against Rockefeller, who literally drove his mentor Scott into an early grave by unscrupulous deals in the railroad industry in which Scott had become heavily invested in. It was the best of times; It was the worst of times.

This man needs a narration fight VS Morgan freeman! We should be demanding that!

Another great video!!! Thank you.

"Dunfermilne" - Simon, I am disappoint! lol

Carnegie is, in my opinion, the truest “chaotic good” you can get from a non-fictional character. While he did a lot of good things, his deeds weren’t all good, and he made his fortune with some… less than savoury practices that are definitely illegal today I think he’s chaotic good, my man has clearly defined and shaped a generation, helped many people even now, but clearly also took advantage of people and the law to get what he wanted

I do not think the world realised the impact of this man's philanthropic efforts. To tell u the truth, I have no words to crown this man for his impact on my life and the lives of many Guyanese. I took umbrage to the title even tho I have read most of his history over and over again. Regardless of my personal affinity, u always do a compassionate job on difficult personas.

Haha this guy was my history teacher's idol! He talked about him a lot haha what a guy,

The rainstorm that caused the flood was probably as a result of the Krakatoa eruption temporarily altering the weather, over several years.

Man your story telling skills are just phenomenal u can make even boring people’s lives interesting I don’t think iv ever failed to finish a video I started and that’s rare I’m adhd and have a very short attention span

Growing up around the Pittsburgh,PA area I learned all about Carnegie and been in many of his buildings. I personally think of Carnegie as a great man.

Nice vid as always, Simon. Have you ever covered Victor Sassoon? Or 1920s-30s Shanghai?

Does anyone else think that Simon should go on Hot Ones?

Pittsburgh, Glad to get this video

The way he says Dunfermline just shouldnt piss me off so much😃😂

Robber baron and great philanthropist are not mutually exclusive. In fact, as happened with Carnegie, the first enabled him to be the second.

I am a tradesman for my local library system and get to take care of and refurbish 3 Carnegie library buildings. All were built between 1905 and 1909.

No mention of Carnegie Tech, now Carnegie Mellon???

He had a business rivalry with Rockefeller.

Maybe you could do a vidro on George Westinghouse? Other good options would be Michael Faraday, Ursula K Le Guin and Alberto Santos-Dumont....

In my late mother's home town in England there was a Carnegie library.

Maybe next do JP Morgan and some of the owners of the mining companies that became rich through the buyouts

I have a Highlight History idea. Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan, Ford, and Rockefeller during the 1900s. When industrialism took off.

Barbados was a British colony at the time, and the Andrew Carnegie Public Library, built with the donation given by Carnegie to the Barbados government, still exists here today.

He built libraries in New Zealand as well.

Enjoyed my Carnegie course! Great times

AND NOW YOU ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT PRONOUNCIATION

Wow yesterday would have been his 185th birthday... Happy Belated Birthday Mr. Carnegie...

We have an old stone Carnegie library in my town, it’s not used anymore but it’s there.

For me, this channel is the epitome of a love/hate relationship. On the one; such great content...

My best friend from Dunfermline would have been appalled by your mispronunciation of the name of his home town

“Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows people to attain uncommon results” Andrew Carnegie

It's a crying shame that no one ever made a biopic about him starring Richard Attenborough.

8:54 skip the ad

Carnegie was so humble 😂 what an amazing lucky Scotsman

Thank you

Probably a little of both in terms of the public opinion. I think he was a great entrepreneur and philanthropist who understood Adam Smith better than most. Probably read Smith's second book.

The net endowment of the Corporation was $3.5bn in 2018, so they've been very busy giving it away!

How about one on Lord Robert Baden-Powell. Heard you mention him on Geographics and realized you hadn't done a bio on him yet. As an Eagle scout that would be awesome

In no way should I give description for this video. Outlandish!

I used to work in a Carnegie library

Why not both?!

Of course you have to remember, Carnegie believed that his workers would never spend money as well as he would, so didn’t think they should have it. Better that he should buy them a library. Judge that how you like, but it was his view.

Do one on Aristotle Onassis

Do one on Ferdinand Porsche

I wrote my long winded comment before i watched the video. I watched the entire video and im so happy that you actually talked about the Johnstown flood accurately.!! Great job on your documentary!! I know that Carnegie has done alot of good with his money. It just bothers me that most people aren't aware of the Johnstown flood which i believe was key in him becoming a philanthropist.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

That awkward moment when you forget to talk about the letter he wrote in his twenties where he states his lifelong goal of using the first half of his life to gain as much money as possible and the second part giving it all away. Whoops. Just fuckin slipped right by.

Im from the town of South Fork Pa and you sir have certainly done your research into the 1889 flood

This guy done everything by the rules he never cheated he never paid off a politician

You should do a bio on Henry Frick

You need to do a video on George Westinghouse.

Any chance of doing a BIO on the members of the Irish Rebellion, and the 7 signatories of the Irish proclamation? Also Michael Collins and Eamon Develara. Thanks

Do a biographic on Duke Ellington!!!! (:

Hey mate, Could you do a video on Daniel O'Connell? Great Irish man!

Why not both Edit: dude was ruthless though same as Rockefeller

Just realised Scrooge McDuck is loosely based on Andrew Carnegie

Said Dunfermline in a way that unsettles me. I don't think I ever heard the name with line at the end, never thought about it before but the last e is silent haha. Dunfermlin. Not like it makes a difference but I had to say it as I live a couple of towns over which also have there names said wrong all the time haha, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes.

Simon, my question is totally off topic and I hope you will answer. I was watching an older video pn this channel and I noticed what looked like a scar peeking out from uour T-shirt. Have yoy had heart surgery? I have a scar that peeks out. I hope im not being too forward and bold. Ty for bringing us wonderful videos!

Me upon reading the title of the video: Why not both?

I grew up with a Carnegie library. I still love it!

I worked at TIAA as a financial consultant for a few years.

Make the Biographic of Rockefeller Simon!

Don't normally notice the mispronunciations but pointing out how to say his surname correctly before saying 'Dun-firm-line' made me chuckle - especially for a Brit!

Why was there nothing about his rivalry with John D. Rockefeller?

Hello Simon and crew! First-time commenter longtime fan and subscriber to probabaly ALL OF ypur channels! I really love what you guys do and I would love it if you did a video on Freddie Mercury on Biographics!! I just recently learned of his background and I believe him to be a most deserving candidate for your research team! Keep up the great work!! I love learning from this channel! Also I really love Geographics and Business Blaze! Cheers

As a kid that got to go to the carnegie melon science institute on field trips, and now as a father who takes his kids their i can say his legacy outweighs his issues.

Do a video on Patrice Lamubaba

Covering all the characters from the RU-vid movie "Everything is a Rich Man's Trick". Is E.H. Harriman, of the Union Pacific Railway Company featured ?

Could you do Harold Shipman