#025 - The Wealthy Industrialist
#025 - The Wealthy Industrialist
The Gospel of Wealth by multi-billionaire Andrew Carnegie.
Don’t want to read? No problem! You can listen to me reading to you by clicking the play button above.
Welcome to the 25th edition of The Wealth Letters, a crowdsourced Anthology on how to find enough in a noisy world.
Please read or listen to the manifesto before reading the collection to better understand this project’s purpose.
The following is an excerpt from Andrew Carnegie’s essay written in 1889 which has come to be known as The Gospel of Wealth, and was originally published in the North American Review. The entirety of the essay can be read at Carnegie.org.
Picture source
Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) was one of the titans of America’s Gilded Age, and considered to be one of the most successful entrepreneurs in world history. He was also a prolific author, writing hundreds of speeches and seven books.
Carnegie wrote two articles first published in the North American Review in 1889, which together have come to be known as The Gospel of Wealth. Carnegie boldly articulated his view of the rich as mere trustees of their wealth who should live unostentatiously, provide moderately for their families, and use their fortunes to promote the “general good.”
Carnegie believed in giving wealth away during one’s lifetime (he gave away 90% of his wealth, the equivalent of $5.9 billion in 2022).
The Gospel of Wealth
By: Andrew Carnegie
Excerpt
Citation:
Andrew Carnegie. The Gospel of Wealth. New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2017 (first published in 1889).
The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth, so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship. The conditions of human life have not only been changed, but revolutionized, within the past few hundred years. In former days there was little difference between the dwelling, dress, food, and environment of the chief and those of his retainers.
The Indians are today where civilized man then was. When visiting the Sioux, I was led to the wigwam of the chief. It was just like the others in external appearance, and even within the difference was trifling between it and those of the poorest of his braves. The contrast between the palace of the millionaire and the cottage of the laborer with us today measures the change which has come with civilization.
It is easy to see how the change has come. One illustration will serve for almost every phase of the cause. In the manufacture of products we have the whole story. It applies to all combinations of human industry, as stimulated and enlarged by the inventions of this scientific age.
Formerly articles were manufactured at the domestic hearth or in small shops which formed part of the household. The master and his apprentices worked side by side, the latter living with the master, and therefore subject to the same conditions. When these apprentices rose to be masters, there was little or no change in their mode of life, and they, in turn, educated in the same routine succeeding apprentices.
There was, substantially social equality, and even political equality, for those engaged in industrial pursuits had then little or no political voice in the State. But the inevitable result of such a mode of manufacture was crude articles at high prices. Today the world obtains commodities of excellent quality at prices which even the generation preceding this would have deemed incredible.
In the commercial world similar causes have produced similar results, and the race is benefited thereby. The poor enjoy what the rich could not before afford. What were the luxuries have become the necessaries of life. The laborer has now more comforts than the landlord had a few generations ago. The farmer has more luxuries than the landlord had, and is more richly clad and better housed.
Poor and restricted are our opportunities in this life; narrow our horizon; our best work most imperfect; but rich men should be thankful for one inestimable boon. They have it in their power during their lives to busy themselves in organizing benefactions from which the masses of their fellows will derive lasting advantage, and thus dignify their own lives.
The highest life is probably to be reached, not by such imitation of the life of Christ as Count Tolstoi gives us, but, while animated by Christ's spirit, by recognizing the changed conditions of this age, and adopting modes of expressing this spirit suitable to the changed conditions under which we live; still laboring for the good of our fellows, which was the essence of his life and teaching, but laboring in a different manner.
This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of Wealth: First, to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community—the man of wealth thus becoming the mere agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience and ability to administer, doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves.
The best uses to which surplus wealth can be put have already been indicated. These who, would administer wisely must, indeed, be wise, for one of the serious obstacles to the improvement of our race is indiscriminate charity. It were better for mankind that the millions of the rich were thrown in to the sea than so spent as to encourage the slothful, the drunken, the unworthy.
In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so; to give those who desire to use the aids by which they may rise; to assist, but rarely or never to do all.
Thus is the problem of Rich and Poor to be solved. The laws of accumulation will be left free; the laws of distribution free. Individualism will continue, but the millionaire will be but a trustee for the poor; intrusted for a season with a great part of the increased wealth of the community, but administering it for the community far better than it could or would have done for itself.
Such, in my opinion, is the true Gospel concerning Wealth, obedience to which is destined some day to solve the problem of the Rich and the Poor, and to bring "Peace on earth, among men good will."
SHOUT-OUT
A special shout-out goes out to Chenell Basilio, who has referred 20 people to The Wealth Letters!
Chenell writes a newsletter called Growth in Reverse, where she reverse engineers how top creators grow from 0 to 50,000+ readers. Even if you are not a creator, I think you will appreciate how much time & effort she puts into her deep dives.
If you go to the Leaderboard, you can share the custom link with your friends and get some sweet rewards, like getting listed in the future published book of The Wealth Letters as a founding supporter!
Would you be awesome like Chenell and share with a few friends by text, email, or socials?
Thank You for Your Support
Would you consider sharing The Wealth Letters with a friend? That would be so much appreciated:
Want to share your own Wealth Letter and be featured in the collection?
If that sounds interesting to you, here is a link to write your letter for the collection.
If you would like to voice record your wealth letter, you can do that easily by clicking here (your voice recording will then be sent to me directly).
Please reach out via email: support@thewealthletters.com or by commenting on this post.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Jordan