Rockefeller
The Robber Barons were ruthless. They had enough power to cut the prices below the cost and drive out its small competitors. Once the competitors went out of business, the corporations could raise the prices to whatever they wanted. This was an unjust power they had, which no single group should ever have. In document B, George Rice, a Rockefeller competitor states that his refinery had been shut down during the past three years owing to the powerful and all-prevailing machinations of the Standard Oil Trust. This shows that these ruthless people such as Rockefeller exercised their powers in unjust ways. These unmerited tactics ended a competitive marketplace and to affirm their monopolistic power, the companies created trusts with each other.
Some were economic combinations that allowed a small group of people, trustees, to own and control the companies. The decreasing need for skilled work in factories led to the employment of women and children. This shows that trusts are immoral. In 1887, the Oat Meal Trust decided that part of their mills would be closed, and as a result many workers lost their jobs. The trusts also had weapons, which included threats, intimidation, bribery, fraud, wreck, and pillage. Many working-class families needed two incomes just to support minimal standard living conditions. This replacement amplified ethnic tensions and created bigotry among the different races of the working class. This provides evidence that the Robber Barons were gluttonous, and only cared about their wealth. The Robber Barons were responsible for hurting the public. The population and number of workers increased as immigrants came into the cities, but these immigrants replaced the higher paid workers in factories (Document D, G). This shows that the Robber Barons intended to eliminate their competition. The trust also functioned to destroy competition (Document D). The mills were making more money when inactive than when in operation (Document D).
Common topics in this essay:
Robber Barons,
Oil Trust,
Meal Trust,
Rice Rockefeller,
robber barons,
lost jobs,
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Acceptance Essays
