Critical Thinking 14-3 #3

Do you think the tycoons of the late 19th century are best described as ruthless robber barons or as effective captains of industry?

Although their methods seemed very cruel, the business tycoons did prove to be useful and effective. Their tactics and strategies were extremely effective. The creation of horizontal
and vertical integration gave businesses the ability to rely upon themselves. Some companies in the same industries even partnered using trusts. Although this could be looked at as bribery.
They also made various contributions to the economy. For example, they made products such as oil and steel easier to access for the public. This was made easier by the construction of Vanderbilt's railroads. The construction of these railroads provided more job opportunities for many common citizens. However, some of these jobs were used for child labor, but this was only used for extreme situations when there weren't enough men to work the coal mines.
Although the tycoons were creating trusts with businesses equal of each other, this wasn't the case with smaller, private owned businesses.These smaller competitors were often put out of business. However, most of the time, they were hired to work for the larger companies. Therefore, these business tycoons were not as ruthless as they were effective and contributing to the expansion of our great nation.