Anderw Carnegie, The Bible, and Henry David Thoreau

A detailed Summary of Anderw Carnegie, The Bible, and Henry David Thoreau

Andrew Carnegie's perspective on the relationship between the rich and the poor is quite simple. He believed that there would always be rich and poor and that was a characteristic of the advancement of civilization. "Much better this great irregularity than universal squalor," he says (Carnegie 225). Without this difference between the classes, he believed that we would not be as well situated as far as universal wealth as we are today. He further stated that the "millionaire will be but a trustee for the poor" (Carnegie 230).

He obviously believed that wealth was a necessity of life. He worked his whole life to be rich, but he was not a miser. He thought that the role of a millionaire was to gather as much money as possible, than redistribute it throughout the community for the betterment of the people. He thought that a millionaire, by being able to make the money in the first place, had proved himself able to better manage the money than the community as a whole.

The biblical aspect, in comparison, is very wary in condoning great wealth. It cautions that it is the reason for gathering the great wealth that matters, not the final distribution of it. If one gathers great wealth merely for the purpose of gat

All these perspectives have validity. They clearly explain the value and detriment of have material possessions and large amounts of money. However, I believe that only Carnegie has a realistic perspective. He understands that very few can overcome the natural instinct to provide physical comfort by whatever means necessary. The Bible asks that we closely examine all motives behind charity and philanthropy, lest we inadvertently accept tainted money. This instead of being grateful for the money that is given, which is so often far less than is needed. If we were to examine every motive and reject money from those with a less than pure basis, hardly anyone in society would be able to give to charity or support philanthropical organizations. Thoreau is even less realistic. He asks us to not worry about money - to do what makes us happy and that material goods are vastly unimportant. He doesn't look to human nature or needs for his reality. He tries to live in a Utopia of sorts and seems unable to realize that it can never happen that way in real life except for a select few.

I think that these perspectives take very opposing views. Carnegie never makes conditions on how one should make these large amounts of money - only that if they are made, they should be given to help others. The Bible, on the other hand, goes to the motive for raising the money. In a sense, if the money is not earned with virtuous intentions to begin with, it will be tainted. The Bible directly contradicts Carnegie in that he seems to be giving the money away after it is earned as a sort of redemption for himself. T

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Approximate Word count = 1092
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History