Comparing the Business Principles of Carnegie and Lloyd
Comparing the Business Principles of Carnegie and Lloyd
“Survival of the fittest”(502 Lloyd): it is the law of businesses from past to present. Within two very interesting excerpts from Andrew Carnegie’s, “Wealth” and William Demarest Lloyd’s, “Wealth Against Commonwealth”, we as the reader get smacked in the face with two very different views. Although both writers have a common ground of money being the main issue, they differ on how it should or should not be administered from the rich to the poor. I believe both writers present us with good points, but the question left unanswered is, where do I position myself between the two? I agree with Carnegie’s beliefs on distributing wealth, but I think most businesses fall under Lloyd’s argument of people not caring about the less fortunate.
In the excerpt from “Wealth”, Carnegie’s ideas are that of a kinder solution to aiding the poor. Do not confuse the word kinder with donations, because he completely disagrees with hand out donations. His belief’s involve “ In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves”.(458 Carnegie) Which in general means he will not give out donations to people who, he believes, are lazy. He in effort to help the less fortunate for example: would build a library where the poor could educate themselves. I very much agree with his way of thinking, because this is the only way to ensure his money is actually helping, not going toward a bottle of whiskey. But I believe Carnegie is being naïve in his thinking that most wealthy people will donate their money to the less fortunate. Although it sounds like “the right thing to do”, I just don’t think many businesses in the past or present care about doing “the right thing.”
On the other hand I believe “Wealth Against Commonwealth” is a more realistic example of what millionaires do with their money. In this except we read of the harsh reality businesses went through before there were governmental regulations. Lloyd shows us the cruel world that we live in, which we accept without thought. He shows us how businesses as well as wealthy people think. “The principles of business--to get the most and give the least.”(504 Lloyd) This is how I believe not only rich people but all people think, whether they admit...