The industrial age of the nineteenth century saw the rise
of the tycoon. Men who by the strength
of personalities, good fortune, and willingness to take risks rose to control
the economy of the United States. They
acquired great wealth in a time when most of the country was struggling to make
ends meet, and support themselves.
They have left an unmistakable imprint on the America of
today, but in their time, they were feared and despised by those whose lives
they controlled and the politicians they had not bought. Names like Andrew Carnage, John D.
Rockefeller, and Cornelius Vanderbilt controlled the critical industries of
steel, oil, and transportation, and did everything within their power to
eliminate competition, and gain a monopoly.
This became such a central issue to our economy that Theodore Roosevelt
set out to break them, and their stranglehold on the nation through the courts,
after Congress wrote anti-monopoly laws to force competition.
 |
| Andrew Carnegie |
 |
| John D. Rockefeller |
 |
| Cornelius Vanderbilt |
In the 20th Century we saw a similar pattern
with the likes of Henry Ford and John Paul Getty, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet,
Sam Walton and the Koch Brothers. Men
who saw a need, created a product, and through strength of personality grew
their businesses, while they amassed billions of dollars in wealth. Their vision, their willingness to take risk,
and ability to dominate their competition stands as a testament that no matter
the rules or hurdles placed before someone, a select few will find a way to separate
themselves from the average man or woman.
 |
| John Paul Getty |
 |
| Warren Buffet |
 |
| Bill Gates |
As if proof of this statement is necessary, here we are in
the 21st Century and who do we find as this age’s industrial
tycoons. We are in the age of
information and advanced technology so it seems fitting to recognize Jeff Bezos
of Amazon, Eric Schmidt of Alphabet Corp (owns Google), and Mark Zuckerberg of
Facebook. Are these men any different
than the tycoons of the 19th century?
 |
| Jeff Bezos |
 |
| Eric Schmidt |
 |
| Mark Zuckerberg |
Although I am sure they would cite their pure humanitarian
interests I think the answer is obvious by how they run their corporations. Just like the tycoons of the 19th
and 20th century they will do whatever they can get away with to
dominate their market and eliminate, or at least minimize, the potential for a
rival to take away market share or profit. They, like their role models of the earlier
times, will also make their profits on the back of the average employee and
will side with whatever causes they believe will improve market share. A recent case study with Google serves as a
good illustration. Despite Google’s
discrimination in its hiring, promotion, and pay for women, when an employee
had the gall to justify why this might be the case he was immediately fired for
questioning the public position of the company.
The only true difference I see is those 19th century tycoons
would probably have had the employee beaten to show him or her who is really in
charge.
Today we see Google coming under increasing anti-trust
litigation, and attacks from various governments for its failure to pay, what
they believe to be, appropriate taxes.
The same is true for Amazon.
Facebook is just a bit different, but we frequently hear how it, as a
private organization, will make a determination on what speech it will allow,
and what speech it won’t. Since Facebook
has not been classified a public utility I believe they have a right to do so
here in the US. Of course, in China,
Russia, and much of the rest of the world, how Facebook edits content is more
in the hands of the host nations. It’s
willingness to modify its standards to ensure national access and government support is in the finest traditions of the industrial tycoons.
At the end of the day the central focus of a rising tycoon
is on the accumulation of wealth, it is only later in life do they try and
figure out how to leave a favorable legacy.
For those who condemn the 1%, tell me how that condemnation will alter
the drive and desire of those who strive to be in that group?
1 comment:
As Christians, we should probably pity the tycoons for the most part. Borrowing a phrase from General Patton about Army staff officers, "Eventually, they all [congregate in] Hell...."
Post a Comment