1 août 1889 - Laissez-faire Capitalism: Gospel of Wealth (SOC, WXT)

Description:

In an attempt to explain their wealth to the world many of the wealthiest men in America during the 1890s were inclined to utilize religion and the Protestant work ethic, which stated that hard work and material success were indicators of God’s favor, to explain their wealth in what is known as the Gospel of Wealth. For instance, John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest men of the century, explains to America that “God gave me my riches,” implying that all the opportunities in his life were a grace of god and god chose him to be wealthy. In fact, Reverend Russell Conwell in his lecture to “Acres of Diamonds,” preached that everyone’s duty is to become rich under the eyes of God. Even Andrew Carnegie the wealthy had a god given responsibility to serve Civic duties. Under that mindset, Andrew Carnegie contributed 350 million dollars to aid the construction of universities and libraries across America. Undoubtedly, this sensation that wealth was a god given gift encouraged others to achieve wealth and look to god and religion to guide the person to wealth.

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